The Devil's Rule
by Zonza
Summary: She is a priestess. He is a demon, or at least part. They were considered to be natural mortal enemies. It was enmeshed into his very being, these beliefs, and her stupid words were screwing them up making him question if everything he thought to be true
1. Circumambulate

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha....

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The Devil's Rule

Prologue: Circumambulate

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On a starred night Prince Lucifer uprose.

From a memory of the old revolt from Awe,

He reached middle height, and at the stars, 

Which are the bain of heaven, he looked, and sank.

Around the ancient track marched, rank on rank,

The army of unalterable law.

-George Meredith (1828-1909)

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Only the flickering glow of the candlelight allowed them to see past their noses to what lay upon the maps spread across the tables. It was the humans that needed such luxuries as light to see what lay before them in the dark, as he needed no such things. His eyes traversed the maps, fallowing his positioning, the markers that told the story of his part in this war, to that of the positioning of his brother. They were heading in the complete opposite direction towards the opposite campsites... Why would they separate them now? He and his brother were the best of the best when working with one another, and these to site happened to be the overlords strongest of holds. It made no sense to separate them between these to strongholds now, when they have been placed together to take down the weaker ones. What were they playing at?

Taking up speculative golden orbs to observe his superiors in this fight, he brought fourth his inquiries. "These are the overlords strongest camps and yet you want to separate my brother and myself between them when you've made it appoint to keep us at the other's side to fight weaker opponents then this." He brought his eyes back down to measure the distance between the two, add up the men held with in each and then to quickly read over it strengths and weaknesses taken into account from their spies. He brought his guarded eyes back to their own, narrowing them slightly. "My brother and I can kill all in the camp closest to our own before they could even get word to other for help, and then proceed to eliminate the other. I don't see the need for he and I to separate, and I can tell you this," his orbs traveled from four pairs of eyes before coming to rest upon the commanding officer. "My brother will not tolerate this, and trust me you do not want him angry."

The wind parted the grass in the fields as well as dried the sweat upon his brows, the sun began to set causing an eerie red glow to cast over the place these men made their battle arena, though he noticed none of this. The only thing he saw was his next target, the blood that cover his hands and sword, and the man that fought beside him. This young lanky character that, since the battle begun, refused to stray far from his side for his own protection. It was assumed, for this reason, to him that it was for the fact that, he, the silver haired, dog eared warrior, managed to cut down all those that tried to take the youngsters life.

Arching his sword upward, he blocked an oncoming attack, then used his booted foot to throw his opponent away. Baring down upon the felled man, he skewered the warrior in the middle of his neck severing the voice box along with the spinal cord crimson liquid spraying up from the wound coloring him and the boy that chose to move no more then a few feet from him red. In a matter of moments the man was dead. Flicking his blade of blood, his golden orbs scanned the field for another whom did not wear the colors of his allies. A feral grin came to his lips, eyes hardening, when a fool of a warrior came swinging a halberd toward his neck. Ducking the onslaught of swings, he brought the hilt of his sword to crack the man's jaw, then swung the blade around to decapitate his victim.

On the field he was like a living reaper, going from one man to the next ending their pitiful existences from this world, sending them to the next plain. The afterlife. He held no remorse for those of whom he killed during battle, it was their choice to enter the field and their choice to forfeit their lives to his blade by attempting to end his own. Remorse was for the weak, and his brother always said the weak die. He refused to die, and thus forth was not weak, and would not allow himself to be weak. Especially not in the eyes of his brother.

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His brother stood back against the great wood tree, eyes unfocused, staring ahead into the distance of the woods. "Something doesn't smell right about this new plan." His brother said in even tones, eyes never moving from their position watching for something out in the distance, what he was unsure of, but the other full demon seemed to know. "I think they want to eliminate us for the power we have shown, it wouldn't be the first time they have stoop to such a show of cowardice." He snorted, arms coming to cross over his chest, head shaking slightly. "They fear that we will turn on them, and kill them ourselves. Inu-youkai would not dishonor themselves by committing such an act to those of whom they chose to be loyal to." He commented tersely.

He sat crouched upon the dew-dampened earth, sword sheathed and resting upon his shoulder, eyes shut. For all of the world he appeared to be sleeping. He scoffed. "They have one thing right about myself, I'm not loyal to them, and I never took the stupid oath to prove it." He informed, cracking one golden eye open to peer upon his older half-brother. "The only reason I fight a war that has nothing to do with myself is that you fight in it, I would go wherever you go. We're brother's and we have to stick together, even if were only half. If you want revenge for you're mother's death, then I will stick beside you and fight with you until I draw my last breathe." He explained, shutting his eye and missing the look of shock and appreciation that ran across his brother's normally emotion vacant features.

"Inuyasha..." he mumbled, speechless. Always, he had thought his brother held dislike for him and only joined the war along with himself for his own gains. "Watch your back brother as I will not be able to watch it for you, and should you allow yourself to die I would never forgive you." With that Sesshoumaru pushed himself from the tree walking back towards the camp, leaving Inuyasha to watch his retreat in shocked wonder. Those were the first kind words his older brother had ever spoken to him, and he would always keep them in heart.

"Don't worry Sessh, I don't plan to die in this war." Inuyasha whispered to the wind, as it gently tugged at his silver locks and brushed his skin in passing.

Bringing himself into a tuck and roll, he sat crouched sword held diagonally before his face ready to draw the blood of his opponent. This man before him was the first real challenge Inuyasha has faced against in this war yet, both combatants held bruises from the other's fists and kicks. Though, Inuyasha was pleased to note, his blade was the only one to taste blood in this match up; twice. Eyes watching every movement of the man before him, waiting for the right signal, the right twitch in muscle the right sense in emotion shown with in the mans aura. There! Not even a grin lit up his face to show he found it, leaping from his crouched position Inuyasha feinted left, right, and then drove the blade through the stomach.

Wide eyes bore into his own golden ones as the man dropped to his knees clutching at his bloodied abdomen around the sword. Wrenching the weapon free, Inuyasha turned from his opponent as the man fell face first into the blood stained grass breathing his last breath. With a sigh, Inuyasha searched for his next opponent, that one was to easily fooled. Those feints should have been seen, should have been countered, throwing Inuyasha himself on the defensive until he was able to cut through the man's throat or some other major point of the body that allowed instant death.

It was kind of boring, fighting without his brother beside him. They would always come up with interesting strategies to take out more then one man at once, or create a distraction while the other infiltrated with out notice. That in mind Inuyasha cast worried eyes to the one whom never seemed to be far from his side, he noticed the boy was locked in head to head battle both having lost their weapons. Eyes narrowing slightly, Inuyasha slipped his blade through the man's back around the location of his heart before he could pull the knife from his sleeve and end the boy's, of whom he decided to watch over in this war, life. The boy nodded his appreciation retrieving his weapon quickly.

Inuyasha made to fallow the boy as he head down the left side of the field now that most of the worrier's seemed to be retreating in that direction, before falling to the ground clutching at his head. The world seemed to be spinning the pain increasing, and with a muffled grunt Inuyasha's world went black.

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Sesshoumaru watched his brother sharpening one of their father's prized swords, the Tetsusaiga, while patting his own swords hilt; the Tokojin. It wasn't the on his father had originally given him, it was not made with their father's fang but another made with the fangs of a demon he had encountered long ago when his father had sent him to protect his younger brother and stepmother. The one beside it was the Tensaiga, it was the one whom was made from his father's fang like his brother's blade, but unlike his brother's blade this sword could do no harm. The Tensaiga was a healing sword, and has only been used twice. Once brining back the life of Inuyasha's mother during the birth of Inuyasha, for some reason he did not wish his brother to grow without a mother like himself, and to bring back his brother after their first fight in the war.

He clenched his fist just thinking about it, the miscreant whom managed such a feat against his brother dared to not play by the rules. His eyes hardened and flashed for a moment. He cheated against his brother and thus fourth killed Inuyasha, thus forfeiting his own pitiful life to his blade. No one killed his brother and dare to live to speak of such an act, even if the act could have been easily rectified, the miscreant still attempted such and there in deserved to lose his life to him. Clenching his fist, Sesshoumaru watched his brother go on to polish the sword into gleaming in what little sunlight was left seemingly unaware of what went on around him. He knew otherwise, his brother never let down his guard, anywhere. Sesshoumaru knew not whether he should be proud of such or saddened that he never felt safe.

In a voice to low for Inuyasha to pick up, he spoke to the boy next to him. "I want you to keep an eye on my brother, I do not trust the officials, there is not point for us to separate now of all times." He commanded eyes trained on his brother's form to make sure he did not hear a thing, so far it seemed he was not aware, at lest he gave no outward appearance of being such. "If anything should happen to him I want you to leave the war and come find me, and then take me to him, and that is an order." The officer nodded and went on with his duties after Sesshoumaru had dismissed him. Turing towards his ten, he realized something. His brother was more important to him then the revenge of those who killed his mother. He never knew his mother she died when he was to young to even walk yet, but Inuyasha has been there for him since his birth, and is now even fighting in war to help him gain revenge for a woman he never knew. He risked death to help him avenge his mother because Inuyasha thought it was most important to him, but he realized in that moment that the life of his loyal brother was more important to his heart.

With a right sideways sweep, Sesshoumaru sliced through the onslaught of men that thought to take him on all at once. What was that, five men downed in one? He smirked smugly, but it was forced, he did not feel his normal sense of life while fighting these men without Inuyasha by his side. Sword piercing flesh, blood flowing as men breathed in their last breaths and heart's beat their last beat, Sesshoumaru always came out on top. Though it seemed he could not concentrate enough on this war, as his mind was being to worried for his brother's safety. Inuyasha was always known be a little, if not very, rash in a fight, and that usually got him in situations of near death.

Stinging pain brought the inu-youkai from his thoughts, his hand going to cover his right shoulder as his life's crimson essence spilled though his closed fingers, and glared at his opponent. One swift sweep of the sword the man was now without his head. He needed to win this little battle and get back to his brother before his worry cost him his life. He had no idea that his brother ended up meaning so much to him. He remember it was just few days ago he was berating him for his heritage as a human, telling him that that was what made him weak. Truth be told, Sesshoumaru wouldn't want his brother to change for anything in this world, as if he did he may not have the same aggravation personality that he, strangely enough, found himself liking. Feinting to the right, blocking on the left, and then deterring the opponents blade from his heart he swung his own around to slit the throat, not staying long enough to see the body fall or the blood run from his slips. He preferred not to see the effects of his actions in battle; it was usually quite sickening; he wasn't one for the sight of blood. Though he wasn't one to say such.

Deflecting a blade aimed for his throat, he slashed at the guy's stomach watching for a moment as he fell to the ground clutching his stomach. Slipping his sword through the middle of his neck to assure himself he would not get back up he turned his back on his once opponent to find another. He wanted this to end, and the sooner the better. To the eye of any solder, he looked to be angel of death as he gracefully swept through the battlefield with his sword Tokojin taking life after life in a matter of moments, barely giving the opponent a chance to blink before he met his end.

Dropping to his knees, he grabbed his head causing those on the battlefield to pause. What could be so strong to bring down the angle of death? Fear gripped the solder's hearts as thought with in range that could see and/or hear him fall and grunt in pain ran as far from him as possible, far from what could have taken down the great Sesshoumaru. Because of this, no one saw him mysteriously vanish from the battlefield.

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Staff jingling with each movement that took him closer to his tent, the man covered in purple robes paused, turning to the one of whom he was speaking with. He rose a brow. "Tell me again why I, a Buddhist monk, should offer my services to help out in this war?" He spoke carefully; his tone hinting that he was not above a bribe should they see fit to give one over.

The solder sighed knowing what it was the purpled robed monk was after, but choosing to see if he could gain what he wanted without needed to give it. The monk's reputation preceded him, and it wasn't only the piece about him being one of the most powerful spiritual men in existence. "Your services are needed monk because you are the strongest man whom is spiritually aware, and thus perfect to act against the man that our enemy seems to have. You won't have to go against any Buddhist laws and pick up a sword, all we need are a few barriers to protect the camp from invasion while our troops are off on other missions as well as you might be needed to lend an extra hand should you barrier fail. I have heard you can handle yourself pretty well with that staff of yours." The solders left eye began to twitch at the blank stare he was receiving and decided to play on a weakness or two of the monks he had heard about. "We of course will pay you handsomely for the task, and you should know there are geisha girls on call within the camp."

The monk allowed a scandalized gasp to escape his lips, his eyes widened slightly. "I am a MONK! I do not appreciate you're insinuating that I, a follower of Buddha, would indulge myself in such as desires of the human body. Or that I could be won by such bribes as a promise of riches." He scoffed, shacking his staff about.

The solder sighed slumping his shoulders, he felt so defeated by this man's attitude and he did not like it one bit. Quelling down the ever growing anger and annoyance within his chest he went on to pacify the obviously in denial monk. No matter how much the corrupt man claimed saint hood and feigned innocence it would never be so. "I did not mean to… um... insinuate such, it's just common to inform new recruits of such information." He lied, albeit a bit nervously. Even if the monk was corrupt as the devil himself, was it still considered bad karma to lie to one? "Ah and the, um, offer of money is the customary payment for a solder under the army." He paused a moment, considering how to continue on. "Though, since you are a monk, the payment is doubled and thus forth you would receive about sixty gold pieces." The solder groaned silently, he was going to be reincarnated into a little tiny-tiny cockroach with all this bad karma he was exhibiting. Lying to a monk...

The monk gave the solder a sideways glance, smirking inwardly. Ah, yes, the solder fell for it hook, line and sinker! He remained silent a moment with the pretense of thinking the offer over, even thought he knew for fact he would take it. The first rule of conning is never seem to eager to take someone up, they may lower the price, oppose to higher if they think your not interested in what they wish. The solder next to him would have it in him to be a decent liar if he didn't fidget so much, otherwise he would have been inclined to believe the little story he was just fed. The geisha girls may or may not have been true, but the monk knew for a fact a solder was paid twenty gold pieces no matter their type. Unless, of course, they were a general of sorts then it was thirty. He smiled to himself, so he was binging bribed with three times the normal amount...

Turning back towards the camp he shouted over his shoulder. "I believe I will take the offer," he paused a moment to turn back and peer at the shocked solder before walking once again. "You can call me Miroku, instead of monk from now on."

Every thing around the edge of the camp went still, wind, no birds singing their usual song. It sent chills down Miroku's spine, something was wrong, something was going to happen and he wasn't sure if he were to like it or not. Walking around the entire encampment while solders walked around mindlessly or with something in mind, he had no idea which, Miroku let his gaze wander towards the first scroll pasted to the first post. There were five of them total equally apart from the other around the whole of their little campsite. The first looked to be all right, nothing was done to it and human or demon hands had not touched it. He then walked around the perimeter of the solder's little fort checking the rest of the scrolls and all seemed to be well, not one of them had been tampered with.

His gaze swept passed the boundaries that the five scrolls created around him, for some reason that feeling has yet to leave him. Something was going to happen, he was sure of it. Miroku turned to leave only have his eyes widened a slight fraction and then narrow. Sticking from the ground beside him was an arrow. He wasn't so naive as to think that it was fired from within the camp, the angle the arrow protruded from the ground suggested otherwise. Bringing his narrowed gaze from the arrow to that of the outside, he let his senses stretch out. This arrow should not have been able to pass through his barriers, but should have been reflected back at the marksman.

Eyes widening, Miroku readied his staff and shouted over his shoulder; voice urgent and demanding. "The army has appeared and the barrier seems not be working, arm yourselves!" As soon as those words left the monks mouth the camp erupted into action, as well as those hiding with in the forest. Suddenly the sky rained of fiery arrows, and the ground looked to be overrun with a sea of heavily armed ants as the other warriors descended down upon them.

Miroku worked quickly, knocking down as many of the men as he could before they could reach the compound, while his mind raced with conclusion of to whom could possibly break through one of his most powerful barriers. He shuttered to think of what might be so powerful that could do that on the enemies' side. When it looked to be more then five men making it to the camp at a time, the monk decided to got to greater lengths of action, looking at his beaded right hand hesitantly, he ripped the prayer beads away to unleash his torrent of a curse. He watched in guilty conscience as the wind tunnel sucked up not only the demons, but humans as well. _They are corrupt humans that will kill him and the others given the chance! _He shouted in his mind to make his heart feel a bit more at ease with his actions.

The army began to retreat with wide eyes, but soon stopped in confusion when the hurricane like winds stopped. All turned back to stare at the spot the monk was once standing in utter confusion. Where did the man go? Shrugging their shoulders, they redirected their movement back to the camp with renewed vigor.

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Starring up at the starred night, man in which the darkness it's self seemed to cling to no matter where he stood, before turning flashing red to brown eyes toward his sight seer. It was from this mystical person he found out his end, but unlike most he was given an opportunity to change it and make events play out in his favor. He was able to cheat fate in other words, he almost laughed manically at the mere thought. Who else could claim they cheated fate and lived to tell the tale of it? Grinning, the saliva of his white teeth reflecting in the candle-light, though it did not let the observer see the rest of him, he questioned the old woman. "Now that the spell has been activated and my enemies removed how does my chances at victory appear?"

The seer remained silent for a few moments, before waving her old wrinkled hands in the air before her. The air seemed to shimmer as smoke appeared from nowhere only to swirl around forming a picture of which only the old seer could see. Clicking her tongue, she waved the images away turning her head to stare her lord in the eyes; unflinching. "Your victory is most assured." She replied, but any celebrating on his part was forestalled upon her next words. "Though the spell cast was altered somehow, as sometime in the near future your enemies will appear and tear down the wall of the empire you will have built for yourself in time." Came the croaked warning.

The shadowy figure shook in anger. "How can this be?" He seethed, his eyes narrowing dangerously becoming so completely red they resembled that of two glowing crimson pools. "I prepared the spell with precise accuracy, tell me seer what went wrong?" He turned his furry upon her. "You told me that this spell would rid me of their interference, but now they will only plague me in my future."

"I may be a seer, but that does not mean I can always account for everything of the future." The old woman explained slowly in that croaking voice of hers, her wrinkled face in a frown, eyes still boring into his unseeing. The seerer was blind as a bat, unless it meant seeing to what has been, the now, and/or the will be. "Unfortunately someone interfered with your spell unknowingly, as I can tell it was not deliberate, and changed the nature of this spell. Your foes are now a few hundred years in the future and will ultimately pull your empire down by the roots unless you can put a stop to it." She gave him a pointed look before turning from him and leaving his rooms to her own.

The overlord laughed maniacally, he would just have to get stronger and then kill them before they were able to kill him. The shadowy figure moved his gaze to continue his watch of the heavens, this would not be hard at all, he would have centuries to prepare for their arrival while they would only have a few days before he rained down upon them like an unforgiving storm at sea. With that in mind he let his thoughts slip away allowing him to undergo a peaceful trance while he watched the nighttime sky.

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A/N: I hope to hear what you all think of this one… I'm pretty sure this fic here will be one of my bests… What do you all think? I would greatly appreciate it if you all reviewed telling me what you think… I mean where would us lowly authors be without all of you wonderful reviewers out there, ne?


	2. Hereafter

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or it's characters legally, but I do own Inuyasha on my own terms! Though, I am willing to share him with you all, all you've got to do is read the fic and review.... and presto you own Inuyasha!!!!

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Inuyasha- What the hell!!!! When did I agree to this!!!!

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Zonza- You didn't agree, I just said it was so and then it was so...

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Inuyasha- I'm not doing this, you can't make me...!

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Zonza- You want the sit command written in here, or perhaps Kagome with Kouga? Or I could always put her with Naraku or even Sesshoumaru... Ah, the possibilities are endless...

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Inuyasha- *glares at Zonza* Feh!

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The Devil's Rule

Chapter One: Hereafter

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There is something weird I won't believe

I'm losing my grip on my life time

I don't understand this wave that I'm in

Wrong place, no money, just responsibilities

-Lacuna coil

His senses were muddled, as his consciousness started to rouse. Head aching, body parts protesting to his movements as he sat grabbing at his forehead as if it would stop the ache. It did nothing, moving fingers towards his temples he began to rub the pain away. It worked to a degree. Golden orbs peeked from beneath their lids, blinking a couple of times as things came into view. Jumping to his feet he began to look around wildly, panic seizing his heart.

It was the same forest at the edge, the same field and the same river at the side but where was the battle? Where was the bodies of the dead, the scent and sight of blood? How long had he been out? How was he even alive? His breaths began to come out ragged as the fear grew within his gut. Reaching down for his sheathed sword he placed it within the belt of his hakama and forced his breath, his heart and his demon half to calm themselves. He would not be able to make sense of things in this state of mind. With another calming breath, Inuyasha began to walk back towards the camp hoping against hope that the war was not over. If it were did they win, did his brother get his revenge? Or is Sesshoumaru dead, and if alive does he think that Inuyasha deserted him or perhaps is dead? Shaking his head of the thoughts he worked on keeping his mind blank save for the mechanical rules of survival that his brother ingrained into his brain sense the first moments he could walk.

Walking in a winding path, incase of being fallowed, he let his senses take over for him leading him towards the camp of his allies. No smells of demons, barely any wild life, all he could sent was that of the forest. He found it strange that before he left to fight, forest was teeming with life, both wild and demon alike. He could hear nothing but the wind and swaying of the trees, not to mention the river to his left, and bird songs. Unsheathing his sword he took a few swipes at the vines and such that blocked his path allowing him access to the other side.

He froze.

Jumping up into the trees Inuyasha watched, and waited for whatever was heading towards his direction to make its appearance. Slowing his breathing down to soft short breaths, forcing his heart to calm he let his eyes stay intent on the direction the sound came from. Who would it be, the enemy or ally? His senses told him they were small one demon and the other human, and held not an ounce of deadly grace sense he could hear the grass and twigs crunch and snap beneath their footfalls. With another steady breath he watched as the tall grass was parted and two figures showed themselves, while he eased out his sword.

Nearly dropping from his perch, Inuyasha schooled his face from the shock he felt and showed upon seeing whom his prey was. Children! A demon and a human child? What were their mothers thinking letting them play out in the middle of the woods where a war was ragging on? That is if it still were, even if it weren't there are always the missionaries and men left behind to worry about. They could be killed, tortured, eaten by demons who found the flesh a tasty treat. Inuyasha shuddered visibly at the mental pictures the thought brought out. He had happened upon scenes in the war when the fighting got to close to a village and the other side thought to pillage them for supplies. Shuddering again Inuyasha forced the memories away as he re-sheathed his katana and allowed himself to land before the two.

Jumping out of their skins the two fell to their butts, looking up at him with fear; they scooted back a bit with the kitsune child standing in front of the human on protectively. Inuyasha had to scoff at that; did the pipsqueak really think that he could take him on, the great demon lord's son?

With a small shaky voice, the kitsune let his eyes move to those of the human boy's. "Don't worry Souta, I'll protect you!" He tried to sound brave while puffing up his chest, but he could not hide the fear in his eyes from the hanyou nor could he hide the tremors.

Before either could move the human boy called Souta jumped to his feat placing himself in front of the kitsune, peering upon the youkai before him curiously. Eyes with a child like innocence and curiosity, roamed Inuyasha's form taking note of the ears, claws fangs, eye color and hair color before coming to rest on the blade. "Wow." He breathed. Inuyasha followed his gaze to his Tetsusaiga, and then let his eyes settle back upon the boy. Why didn't he fear him like the kitsune had? Why wasn't he running away, why did he leave what little protection he had from him, the hanyou Inuyasha? 

Souta let his eyes meet the golden orbs of the hanyou. His sister had shown him how to tell the difference between youkai and hanyou depending on their type. This one before him was clearly a dog demon, but what let you know that he was hanyou were the ears protruding from his head. He had an indescribable urge to reach out and grab them like he would any dog and give them a good rub down, but reframed himself. He was still demon after all and may not take to kindly to having himself be touched by another, especially a human boy. "Is that a real demon blade?" He inquired, eyes traveling back to the katana at the hanyou's side.

"Souta what are you doing?" The kitsune whined, jumping up to perch himself upon the human boy's shoulder crossing his arms face twisted in a pout. "You shouldn't be talking to him! He could work for the Over Lord, and if that is so then you, me and Haha-ue will be in trouble." The kit whined again, throwing a glare in the hanyou's direction. Inuyasha returned the glare, but not so deadly or heated, not like one he would give to an enemy solder or some one making fun of his being half-demon. No, the kit only said they should not talk to him because of some over lord... what Over Lord? He found himself wondering, Japan hold no such person. He continued to watch them, his curiosity getting the better of him; it allowed no words to be spoken from his mouth to interrupt this little chat.

Not once taking his eyes off of the hanyou before him, though not because of fear but of fascination, he replied to the kit. "Shippo don't you see that sword, it's a demon made blade." Taking his eyes off of Inuyasha, he let them go to the Kitsune upon his shoulder smiling excitedly. "That means he's on the run from the Over Lord, so we gotta help him... we have to hide him at the shrine so he can't be found."

Shippo's eyes nearly bugged out from his head. "You want to hide him at the shrine!" He shouted out in stunned horror. "Where Haha-ue is, what if they track him there and then Haha-ue gets taken as well?" He pointed out hopping to detour him from his line of thought, even though the kit knew it was pointless. Like haha-ue, once Souta had his mindset on something there was no going back.

Souta shook his head absentmindedly as he began to ponder on his plan a bit more. "Don't worry about ane-ue, she can take care of herself... besides he won't be found, I'll make sure of it." He replied confidently. "Now if he's got the blade then that must mean he somehow got through ane-ue's barrier, but that doesn't matter now we've got to get him to the shrine pronto before he's detected." Making a grab for the half-demon's hand, Souta began to pull him along following the markers he left behind incase he and Shippo got lost on their expedition.

Inuyasha pulled his hand free, what in the world was going on here? His mind shouted. Were these two insane, what in the seven hells were they talking about? He's never heard of such things, Over Lords and barriers, and some crap about not being able to have demon made blades. What was going on!? Shaking his head he glared down at the two, still not as fierce as normal. Folding his arms over his chest he demanded. "Who is this Over Lord?" He questioned, deciding to do this one thought at a time.

Both of them looked at him as though he had lost it, and who would blame the two? Not one single person alive went through their whole life without once hearing about the Over lord, the man said to have risen from the depth's of hell and to be the devil himself. A man whom ruled the lands of Japan like a tyrant out for blood, and lust of power. A man whom even the demons feared.

After a few more moments of staring at the inu-hanyou strangely, Souta decided he must have hit his head or something of the like to not already know this information. This was the type of stuff they ingrained into your brain the moment you started school, and even if you didn't there were holograms of the devil created by the holly order in the streets informing you of this. "You must have hit your head hard huh?" Inuyasha just nodded absentmindedly while he was focused on hearing the words that have yet to come from the boy's mouth telling him what was going on. "Well there was a war in this very spot a couple hundred years ago, it was against this man who wanted some of the eastern lands as his own. Both youkai and nigen fought in this war alike despite their fear or hatred for one another. Both races wanted to fight for their homelands, and the demon lord who protected the lands and those who live in it despite them being human."

Inuyasha's eyes widened when the kid mentioned how long ago this war was fought, nearly missing a step. He had to calm his racing heart; time travel was just not possible! Schooling his features and regaining his heart under control Inuyasha decided he must be dreaming and that all of this would go away as soon as he woke up. _Yeah, I can work with this._ That decided, he continued to listen to what the child was saying.

"... though he wasn't the one who started the war he just appeared out of nowhere and took over after the last battle that would complete the war." Souta explained. Again Inuyasha felt shocked, though he did not let it show, that was the exact battle he disappeared from. "No one knows how he was able to live so long, but he has." Shaking his head sadly he continued. "There isn't that many demons here, only a few as the majority didn't like the way he ran things, otherwise they live on the island of Hokkaido. It's the only place that doesn't have authority over because the demons managed to keep it from him. The demons can't get in here because of the barrier that my ane-ue keeps up, it makes it so outsiders cannot pass without the Over Lords permission."

They walked in silence for a while as Inuyasha pondered things, dodging a few upturned tree roots, his eyes watching the footing of his young companion should he fall. So in this weird dream world of his they lost the war resulting in this evil over lord guy taking over all of Japan except a small bit that the youkai managed to keep. A human for that matter, managed to rule over demons while keeping alive for a few hundred years without someone taking him down and relieving him of his rule. Sparing the boy next to him a sideways glance he said. "So this human guy managed to stay alive a couple hundred years, keep his land and fend off demons." He scoffed. Now he knew this had to be a dream, there wasn't a human alive that could stand against every demon or even nearly every demon in Japan and make it out alive. So since this was a dream he decided that he would go along with everything until he awoke. "How's this even possible." He muttered, but apparently the kid heard him.

"I'm not entirely sure, my ane-ue told me and Shippo how it was done, but..." he scratched the back of his head trying to think of the best way into putting his thoughts into words. "Well, I can't quite remember what she said all I know is that it was really confusing." Souta grinned when the steps that lead up to the shrine came into view. "Come on, we're almost there, but when we do get there you have to make sure and not let my sister see you." He explained, slowing his pace up the steps as he tried to think of just where he was going to hide his hanyou friend that his sister never went.

"Why?" He questioned curiously.

"Because Souta's afraid he'll get in trouble if Haha-ue finds you." Shippo explained with a haughty glance in Souta's direction. The human boy only replied with the rolling of his eyes skyward as he grabbed hold of the hanyou's hand, pulling him behind some bushes situated in the right corner of the shrine near the steps. From this point one could see clearly nearly the whole expanse of the shrine.

Pointing toward the building in front of him, he said. "That's the storage shed and the one next to it is the place where my ane-ue keeps this jewel, it's suppose to be what keeps the barrier going. Never go in there, though, it has a barrier around it that repels all demons except for Shippo." After a moments thought he said. "If you promise not to take the jewel I could make it so it won't repel you too." He then continued on with explaining the whereabouts of things one the shrine grounds, starting with point towards the left a little in the center of the whole compound. "That is the house, if you ever need to talk to me climb up the tree next to the widow at the back of the house and wait for me there, but if my sister should enter the room hide in the closet okay." Once Inuyasha gave a slight nod of the head he continued on. "On either side of the house are two mini shrines, the one to the back is were you'll stay, ane-ue never goes there so it would be safe alright. The other shrine it doesn't matter if you go there or not, just be sure not to let my sister see you okay."

"What's the matter with him?" Inuyasha questioned, shrugging in the direction of the hopping kitsune. Souta also rose a brow.

Noticing the talking had stopped and all eyes were on him, Shippo paused in his jumped and excited smile on his face eyes twinkling. "Are you done talking now?" Souta nodded slowly, curious to the kits behavior. Nearly squealing with delight, he said. "Then we've got to hurry before she starts, it's already noon-day!" Quickly grabbing Souta's hand he began pulling him from the bushes, just as Souta grabbed Inuyasha forcing him to fallow them towards the structure next to the storage shed across the open courtyard.

Confused, the hanyou inquired. "What's going on?"

With a wide grin Souta replied. "My sister's going to perform the ceremony soon, we need to hurry or we'll miss it." Pausing a moment, he pointed towards a window at the front of the building. "You can watch through there, I'll open the window so that you can hear what's going on, but be sure not to get caught okay."

Inuyasha watched as both boys' ran towards the entrance, walking to the window he peeked through finding a girl standing in the middle of the room back turned. Jumping back when the window flew open, Inuyasha crept back toward it once he got over his scare and settled himself down to watch.

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~*~

With a deep breath she entered the western shrine, the one that held the jewel of Shikon within it's hallowed walls. It was her duty since the time of her mother's death to perform the ceremony the strengthened the barrier for the day, as well as weakened the demons that live within the Over Lords province. She shuttered as she thought about the man, a man of whom the world has never seen. Not even those who work for him have laid eyes upon his form.

Placing the thoughts of the over lord from her mind, Kagome walked forward, before turning around at the sound of excited laughter. Her eyes lit up as she saw her younger brother Souta and adoptive son, Shippo. She had been taking care of Souta since the day their mother had fallen ill, and Shippo since the day both of his parents were killed from demons that somehow made it pass the barriers. It was then that she understood how important her job was to the people, and not just to the Over Lord himself. She often wondered what would be more beneficial, the end of the devil's rule, or the well being of the people? So far it seemed she continued to choose the people for how many times she has kept the barrier standing strong.

Kneeling down before them, she gave them both a warm smile and gentle hug. "Where have you two been, I was looking for you a bit ago." She frowned, her gray-blue eyes holding to them a saddened cast. "I had thought for a while there you both were found, next time..." She took in a deep breath to calm down her emotions. They really had her terrified with this thought, normally they would leave a note as to their whereabouts and how long they thought themselves to be gone for. "Next time you leave the shrine grounds be sure to tell me, alright?" They nodded, and she smiled but it did not reach her eyes. "Good, I was scared." The last part was whispered and unheeded by Souta's ears and nearly went unheard by the Kitsune's, but certain golden eyed inu-hanyou heard them quite well.

He was intrigued by the girl, she was quite pretty... he shook his head. He couldn't think those type of thoughts. One: he was a hanyou so there was no way she would see him as anything but dirt, and would most likely be disgusted by his mere presence. Two: The girl wasn't real, she was something created by his mind as she was to perfect not to be and he was surely dreaming all of this. It was just too strange for any part of it to be real. Maybe, though, since this is a dream, maybe she wouldn't be repulsed by him. _No, _Inuyasha shook his head; this way of thinking was beginning to make him sound pathetic and lonely of the heart. Two things he was most definitely not. Pushing the thoughts from his mind he began to watch them once again.

"Shesh, you worry to much Kagome." Souta replied nonchalantly. "We were perfectly fine, besides Shippo could have changed us both to look like trees or something if there was really any dangers around."

Kagome sent him a look of doubt, but shrugged it off. She really didn't want get into an argument with her little brother, as well as didn't want Shippo to think she had any doubt in his magic skills. Standing from her crouched position, she pointed to the furthest wall near the door. "If you're both going to watch while I perform then I need you stay over there." They both nodded eagerly, rushing to do her biding, the sat against the wall eyes on her excitedly.

With a small smile she walked once again to the middle of the room. Before her was a crescent shaped table, and upon it were twenty candles, each lit and each approximately a couple of inches away from the other. Hanging between each candle, from the ceiling, were brass dishes, the same in number the same inches apart. Grabbing one of the incense at the end of the table between her thumb and forefinger, she moved it over the first lit candle, and then placed it in the dish all the while singing her chant.

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Fours Souls,

Purity of heart,

Ancient times

Will arise

White light, bringer of demise

Taking another incense in hand she began to repeat the process, her voice humming a melodramatic tone as her lips moved to form the words every four measured beats. Smoke streamed from the dishes to towards the ceilings above coming to rest around her, giving the girl an almost enthrall look while her movements seemed almost dream-like to all watching. Golden eyes gazed on unable to look away, what was she doing? He would have to question those boys about it. Her movements slowed a bit as did the tempo of her voice, seeming almost lethargic. Taking the last incense in hand, her words changed tone becoming almost melancholy, as she moved the stick over each candle before placing it within a dish before the jewel.

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Will of iron,

Heart of glass

The stark moon shines

Let none pass

And let all digress

Coming to kneel before the Shikon, a tiny menace that has been in her family for generations upon generations, Kagome took in a deep breath exhaling slowly. All thought escaped her as she repeated the words from beginning to end in song once more, hands coming to rest erect over the pinkish-purple jewel. Letting her eyes slide shut she spoke one word no louder then above a muted whisper.

"Begin."

An almost blinding light enveloped the room shooting upwards from the Shikon no Tama, though Kagome seemed not be bother by it. The two within the room seemed not effected as they were used to this part of the ritual by now, but not wanting to miss a moment of this phenomenon Inuyasha was forced to squint his golden eyes, shadowing them with a single clawed hand. Watching as the light form a circle around her no longer so bright, Inuyasha could only gape at the image she put forth, so different from what he had witnessed only mere moments ago. Opposed to then, she now seemed distant almost untouchable as her glossy raven locks blew gently in a wind no one besides herself could feel along with the sleeves of her kimono, skin aglow in the light. She looked like a fierce warrior, something akin to himself during battle. It gave him chills as he wondered silently how she could be the same girl as before.

Inuyasha had to force his eyes skyward away from the priestess when the light shot from her through the roof. He was stunned when the said pinkish glow hit something, that would otherwise have been invisible to the eye, causing it to spread that glow over the whole sky making it illuminate a few moments before simply vanishing away leaving no traces to prove it was even there. Bringing golden orbs back towards the raven-haired miko with in he observed silently as the girl removed her hands from over the now pale color thing, bright smile in place. He had to blink a couple of times at the transformation in her appearance. She looked like she had before the ceremony began.

Kagome stared at the Shikon a moment before taking the metal cap and snuffing out all the flames dancing above the wax candle sticks, while deciding to let the incense burn themselves away since they were already nearly there. Her brothers remained silent in the background as she finished with the endings of the ceremony. Once finished, she turned to face them, regarding Shippo curiously as she prepared to ask him the same question as always.

Jumping to his feet quickly, the kitsune leapt into her arms knowing that she would catch him as always, looking into her gray-blue eyes with his innocent brown ones. "Don't worry Haha-ue, I don't feel the lest bit weakened. I think that your charm is still working fine." He answered gently patting her cheek reassuringly once he noticed the look of worry within her every expressive eyes. She could never hide anything from anyone; her eyes always betrayed her thoughts and feelings.

She pats the kit on the head, smiling at him as she made her ways towards her oddly quite brother against the wall. "That's good to hear, Shippo, I'm glad." She remembered when he was younger, before she had created the protective charm, Shippo would always complain about his insides hurting him after she preformed the ceremony. It took her a few months to figure out what it was, after all her adoptive kitsune son was the first and only demon she had ever encountered that had not been trying to kill her. Throwing Souta an inquisitive look, she went on to inquire about his odd behavior. Normally he was grinning like a maniac, discussing with Shippo the different parts of the ceremony. Right now he looked thoughtful, and albeit a bit nervous. "Souta is something wrong, you look as if something is bothering you."

Souta snapped from his thoughts, blinking a few times he smiled brightly at her. "No... Nothings wrong, I was just think about..." He trailed, frowning slightly eyebrows furrowed. Just as he was about to voice his question, Kagome fell to her knees breathing heavily. "Kagome!" They both cried at once, the golden eyes peering at them suddenly widened in concern but moved not an inch from his spot to offer up his help. Just because the two help him out doesn't mean that she would, maybe in his dream world children did not find half-breads disgusting, but that did not mean this girl did not as well. It would be very much like his luck for her not to feel the same, and then kick him out leaving him on his own. Like it mattered, but things would be a lot easier to figure out with a place to stay and food; not that he couldn't find both himself. It would just give him one less thing to worry about.

Kagome sat Japanese style, holding Shippo in her lap patting his head reassuringly, while both he and Souta shot her worried glances. "Don't worry about me, I just used up more energy then necessary this time around." She assured. "I just need a little bit of rest and I'll be fine, alright." Setting the little kit down she patted his head, and then her brother's before leaving towards the house. "Don't leave the shrine grounds today." She called over her shouldered sternly. Something was not right while she preformed the ceremony. Kagome could have sworn she felt demons trying to penetrate the barrier, but they had just disappeared after she let a bit more power flow through. She knew at lest two of them were purified, but what of the others... did they make it through? "I'll just take a quick nap, and then try sensing those demons again." She muttered to herself quietly, but not enough so that the golden eyes that watched her retreating back couldn't hear.

His heart nearly stopped, did she mean him? Before he forced it to calm, she had said demons, not demon nor half-demon. She was trying to find more then one. Inuyasha would have to be carefull from now on, if she could really sense the demon aura. He was glad for that fact that his mother had taught him a few spells, one being to desguise his aura from other demons, mikos and Taijiya.

Snapping his attention from his thought's he placed it onto the approaching figures of the two whom insisted on hiding him here, or really it was the human boy whom had insisted upon it. He really hated being indebted to those who were weaker them him. Just as he was about to ask a question, one that went along the lines of, "just what was that?" The kid seemed to already beat him to it.

"That was the ceremony that my sister performs every other afternoon to strengthen the barrier as well as weaken the demons already living within the Over Lords territory." Souta crossed his arms leaning back against the side of the Shikon no Tama's shrine, while Shippo nodded to everything he said. "It's really neat to watch, and my sister has a really pretty voice, but I don't like it and neither does Shippo. It always makes him feel strange after words, and if it weren't for the charm my sister made for him he would be affected like every other demon living here. My sister doesn't like to do it either, but she has too..." He paused deciding it best not to continue with the subject. "Did you feel any pain, or perhaps as if your powers were being drained from you?" He inquired.

Inuyasha shrugged. "I didn't feel anything." Or it could be that he was placed under a trance as she preformed, that he wouldn't have notice any such feelings. He would have to see about one of those charms for himself. He refused to be weakened because some over lord was afraid to have his power taken away by someone stronger. It was obvious to the hanyou that this guy held not a shred of honor.

"Maybe it's because your part human, or it could even be that you have a demon made blade." Souta thought a moment, before grinning madly. "That could by why the Over Lord forbids any weapons being enchanted, or being demon made."

Shippo began walking from the conversing two, before stopping and turning around. "I'm going to check on Haha-ue and make sure she is okay. Get me if anything interesting happens, alright Souta?"

"Sure thing Shippo." Grinning Shippo took off like quicksilver towards the house, leaving the hanyou and human child to watch as he gradually got smaller and then disappeared into the house.

After a moment, Inuyasha broke the silence. "If your human and your sister is human why is it the runt refers to her as haha-ue?" He had been wondering about that sometime now, at first he thought that the human kid and she might only be half- siblings but the kit smelled of a full demon and her sister a full human ruling out his assumption.

"Oh, before... um well about five years ago some demons called the Thunder Brothers, managed to get through the barrier and managed kill a family a kitsune living out in the forest, well all except for Shippo. My ane-ue managed to get there before he was killed as well and took down the brothers, purifying them both." Inuyasha's eyes widened at that, he had heard of the Thunder Brother's, whom were know to be masterful assassins. He couldn't help but wonder who exactly the kit's family was, as they do not just kill anyone. "After that Kagome adopted Shippo as her own, I think he was only a couple months old at the time."

"He was lucky then." Inuyasha commented lightly. "I've heard of the Thunder Brother's before. There assassins and usually don't leave anyone alive, if they happened to be around. Frankly I'm surprised your sister managed to kill them herself, even if she does have her purifying powers, Hiten and Maten were known to have outlived an attack of three of the strongest miko and taijiya unscathed."

Inuyasha had to force himself not to grin at the pride and amazement shinning within his chocolate brown depths. "Wow." He breathed. "I've always known ane-ue was strong, but I didn't know she was that strong." Pushing himself from the wall he blinked a couple of times. "Hey you're remembering some things."

Narrowing his eyes in confusion, he asked. "What?" Before comprehension dawned upon him. In their earlier conversation, when he had first ran into the human boy he had agreed to having a head injury as an excuse to not remembering anything of what they were speaking of. "Oh, um, ya I'm beginning to remember a little bit."

"That's good, pretty soon you'll have all of them back." He paused a moment. "I wonder why you were in the forest with a demon blade in the first place." Shrugging it off, Souta ushered him towards the shrine on the furthest from the steps, on the other side of the shrine house. Pushing open the door slightly, and peering inside like there man have been an enemy inside. Nodding once, he pushed it open a little further so that his companion would see. It was basically empty except the urine at the furthest end of the one room building, upon a small table with a blue kneeling cushion before it. To either side of that were a few boxes and nothing more. Souta made no move to enter. No one has stepped foot into this part of the shrine in years, right before his mother's death. "You can stay here, but don't touch any of the boxes, there should be some drawers in the back wall with blankets and pillows in it and I think there might be a futon under the boxes over there to the right."

Souta watched as the hanyou walked in slowly, albeit a bit hesitantly. Giving him a curious look he turned on a heel. "I'll bring in some food after I check on my ane-ue." He fell silent, just standing still back facing Inuyasha as he gazed out upon the cloudless sky. "I'm worried about her..." With a sigh, he replied almost too quietly for the hanyou to pick up. "That's never happened before... and I know that she's lying, I can always tell by her eyes." With that the human boy left to the house, leaving Inuyasha to thoughts of his own.

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~*~

The wind blew gently across the meadow causing the grass to part and dance within its teasing caresses. A feral grin came to his face, carnivorous teeth over lapping his bottom lips. With a deep breath he headed down the path his sense has shown to him, not sparring a glance to see if his companion followed him or not. His steps were wide and even with his long purple leather skin legs, causing his cotton ball look-a-like of a companion to take gigantic leaps in order to close the distance between them. With one mighty jump the cotton ball found himself upon the gigantic purple reptilian's shoulder.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" It asked with a tiny squeaking voice that caused the reptile to cringe as it was spoken right next to his ear. It felt like nails on a chalk board.

With a grunt he nodded.

The cotton ball was hopping for more then that, so settled on asking another question. He hated the silence, and his conscience was slowly eating away at him. "Are you sure that this is right? If I remember correctly the family is run by a sixteen year old girl, I'm feeling a bit guilty over what we're about to do." The cotton ball demon admitted.

With a long grunting sigh, the reptile nodded and surprisingly spoke. "Oi feel the same." Giving the same admittance with his heavy accent, his shoulders slouching a bit causing the cotton ball to hold on for balance. "But if ye think about it, 'he is 'elping out the Devil's Rule, so maybe 'he isn't as innocent as 'er age suggests, ne?"

"Aye." With that they both head towards their target trying to strengthen their resolves in this.

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~*~

A/N: Yeah, I finished the first chapter!!!!! I hope you all likes it… I thinks this might be my best yet…. If you review I will in turn read one of your fic and review it…. This goes for every story that you review

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Japanese word use:

Ane-ue: Means "elder sister"

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Haha-ue: Means "Mother"

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Taijiya: Means "Demon exterminator"

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Miko: Means "Priestess"

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Ne: Means "Right" or "Hey"

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- If I have missed anything and there's one in there that you don't know tell me and I'll translate it for you in the next chapter -k-

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Review Answers:

Ace Fryre: *nods* I got your last one, but I accidentally deleted the story off so I had to repost it. I swear, stupid me!! ^_~ I'm glad you think it's good, it means a lot you know… You're one of my most loyal and favorite reviewer, I think you've read at lest every single one of my stories… So I dedicate this chapter to you, my most loyal reviewer… I hop to hear from you again!!!! Ja!!!

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Hanyou punk chick- Thank you!!!

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Animeblonde10- Really!!! You think so!!! Thank you so much!!!! I wasn't so sure, but I'm glad you think so… This ones gonna be easy to write as I've been planning it forever!!!! 

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Thank you to all of my reviewers, you guys are really just the best!!!!!!!!


	3. Obsolete

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Disclaimer: Do I own Inuyasha?... I'll never tell....

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The Devil's Rule

Chapter Two: Obsolete

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Listen as the wind blows across the great divide

Voices trapped in yearning, memories trapped in time

The night is my companion and solitude my guide

Would I spend forever hear and not be satisfied?

-Unknown

~*~

It had been days since he had first steep foot upon this shrine, and since then he has rarely ever left his accommodations for his stay. The boy, Souta as he has come to know him as, was entirely too trusting for one with problems of his caliber. Inuyasha remember the second day of coming to this place the human child came to speak with him while Shippo, as he had told him, was watching over his sister while she made dinner for all. Before he had started the conversation he of course promised to sneak his back some grub to fill his empty stomach. Just the thought of eating was enough to elect a moan of eagerness from his empty abdomen.

Souta took a seat opposite of him, his eyes troubled. Inuyasha couldn't help but notice the kid looked older like this, a look much like his own at that age, and couldn't help but wonder what he had been through to give him such eyes. _He hides his pain well; _Inuyasha mussed as he silently studied him while waiting for him to begin. With a grimace he began. "You remember when Shippo didn't want me to let you stay here for fear of the Over Lord finding us?"

"Hai..." The hanyou replied deliberately, trying to read into the boy's surprisingly concealed face. It was strange seeing the child this way, it almost reminded him of Sesshoumaru, but a lot less extreme. He highly doubted anyone could pull of the emotionless demeanor his brother managed to put fourth. Heck it was enough to chill him to the bones sometimes. "What about it?"

"Kagome... she..." Lowering his face, as if suddenly shamed, he replied in a subdued tone of voice literally shacking with many emotions that someone of his age should never now or even have so much of. "Kagome's really strong, and she's always taking care of me and Shippo always worrying about everyone else and never seems to think about herself. I want to protect her though, but I'm not strong enough, the last time we fought I could do nothing and Kagome could barely keep us both safe, he was just to strong." He looked back up at Inuyasha with such hopeful eyes it made the said hanyou swallow hard. What did this kid expect him to do? "But you're really strong, you even have a demon blade! You could help me protect her, would you?" He pleaded.

Inuyasha was quiet for a long time, not saying a word as he searched Souta's eyes. So much pain in his young life, so much hope and fear for his answer... but why should he do it? What would he get out of protecting this kids older sister? Well he would get a place to stay, free food and information into this little dream world he has seemed to have created for himself, besides the kid might kick him out if he disagreed. Deciding there was much to gain from this, he said. "Sure why not, it's not like I have anything better to do." Who would know anyways, this was dream world, no one in the real one would know about this and call him weak minded for protecting a frail human. He thought, forgetting for the time being his own human side.

Souta lost the look to his eyes, seeming the young and innocent kid the hanyou took him for, and for some indescribable reason Inuyasha felt a little warm-hearted that he was able to take it away for him. He, at that age, had no one to do something such at this for him, besides his brother... but that was only a once in a blue moon type of thing. Sesshoumaru wasn't really as cold as some made him out to be, he was just not good at describing how he felt on matters, or showing emotions period. The only time his seemingly cold-hearted brother let down his walls was when they were alone.

With a delighted laugh Souta lunched himself towards the hanyou, wrapping his smaller arms around Inuyasha's neck in a tight hug. "Thank you so much, Inuyasha." The boy cried, before releasing him. Inuyasha tried to hide a blush at the kids antics as Souta moved towards the exit, he really wasn't used to such a show of emotions. "I'll go see if my sister finished, trust me you'll love her cooking. She's a master."

Inuyasha couldn't help but smile at the memory. No, not at the talk, though it was a nice one, but what he meant was the food. Never had he tasted something so delectable in his entire life! Sure he's eaten ramen, rice and beef stew before, but nothing could have prepared him for the sheer pleasure her skills had brought him. The meat was the juicy, sauce dripping down his chin as he savored it. Every thing was spiced to perfection, the right ingredients that tantalized and teased the taste buds. Once his stomach began to rumble in hunger as his thoughts got more into detail of his meals since staying here, he decided it was time to change the subject before he was tempted into ransacking their kitchen looking for something prepare by her hands.

There had been many more conversations between Souta and himself, and each time they spoke he learned more of things in this weird time. Some of the things spoken of, Inuyasha could just not imagine, and he wondered if he would ever see them. So far he hadn't left past the exit. He wondered what was keeping him here, why he hadn't left yet. Shaking himself of the antsy feeling overwhelming him, he decided to at lest leave and stretch his legs. Never once in all of his life had he stayed in one place for so long. Well he did promise to protect that kids ane-ue, but that couldn't be why he felt the need to stay. He had only agreed to help him while he stayed, not that he would help for the rest of his natural born life, or really their lives considering his demon half he would live a lot longer.

Pushing himself to his feet sluggishly, he mentally cursed himself for his laziness. Despite the fact he couldn't leave for fear of being seen did not give him the excuses for lazing about and give his body time to become languorous, there was enough room to practice his katas and stretch a bit. Think, what if he had made not inclination to leave this spot even after a few months! He would never be fit enough to fight at the drop of a hat, no he would be lethargic in his movements giving the enemy ample time to take him down. He snorted at the thought, disgusted with himself. What would his brother think…? 

His brother? Now that he though about it, did Sesshoumaru know were he was? Or was he still missing? Well either way, Inuyasha only hoped his brother did not think he had abandoned the cause, and left him to the fight on his own and that Sesshoumaru won the fight. That he was able to gain revenge for his mother's death. Maybe he would see his brother in this strange place created within the corridors of his mind. Yes, there was no other explanation for it; this place was just to weird to actually be real.

Frustrated with his deliberation in stalling his movements, as his body preferred its position upon the futon, he forced himself to stand and stalk towards the exit. Yes, he would only go for a quick run and be back before the two runts even missed him, as if they would.

He slowly pushed open the door, his eyes peering out into the evening light outside. Taking a delicate whiff of the air, Inuyasha deduced none of the occupant of this shrine have stepped near enough to this part of the property in over five hours, nor was there a single person near by, thus it was safe for him to leave his sanctuary. Placing a foot at a time out the door Inuyasha jump up into the branches of a near by tree, before taking to the roof landing upon his surface like a swan upon a lake. He barely made a sound, or a least one that would be noticed by human ears.

He took his position, crouched low like he was trying to become one with his scenery, taking slow calculated movements in a sideways fashion as his eyes watched the ground like a hawk with its prey. It would not due to be caught by that girl sneaking around her home. From the talks he has had with her brother, and the very few with Shippo, Inuyasha was able to determine the girl to be an above average miko. If there was one thing that he knew about their kind was, when if came to demons or even be it half-demons, they tend kill first and ask questions later. This he all knew from experience.

One would have thought that a innocent trip to the market wasn't normally so life threatening, heck all he was trying to do was save the girl from being beaten by those damn thieves! No one else even seemed to acknowledge her plight, and then surprise, surprise, he's the one that gets his butt nearly purified into the next plain by some stupid Miko who thinks she knows every thing. That sure taught him a thing or two about trying to help ungrateful mortals; the stupid girl didn't even try to set the priestess straight! She just ran for her pathetic human life. Inuyasha clenched his fist that was one of thousands of encounters with the spiritually aware.

Pulling him back from the reminiscent of his past was the soft sound of feet pattering against the cement, another creation of this time as he had learned from Souta, the sound was too delicate to be any of the runts. So it had to be the kid's sister, unless there was another female on the property that he knew not of. With a deadly ease, Inuyasha drew himself up to the edge to the other side peering over it as he sought out the owner of the soft pattering feet.

He wasn't really surprised to see the girl from a few days ago, about four to be precise, walking towards the other mini shrine Souta and other runt warned him not to visit. Something about the girl knowing of his presence there. Watching as she walked right up towards the shoji screen that separated her from the inside, he noticed her hand hesitate as she reached out to push it back. She dropped her hand and sighed, watching the door as if she would rather not enter. Slowly, but surely, she slid the screen back entering, albeit a bit nervously, closing it behind her about half way.

Curious as to what lay beyond those shoji, Inuyasha nimbly leapt from the roof landing upon the ground behind the bushes with a soft pat. Drawing himself up he walked toward the opening as silently as possible ignoring the little preservation sense he held, to spy through the small slit. He could not see much, but he was able to tell that the girl was kneeling before an urn, head bowed. There was also a picture there, but he could not see the face of whom it belonged to clearly. He could tell, though, that whomever it was held dark hair like the woman kneeling.

Perking his ears up, Inuyasha attempted to hear the soft words escaping the young girls lips. If it weren't for his demon sense he wouldn't have heard them at all.

**__**

~*~

It had been four days nearly since she had preformed that ceremony and sensed the brink the barrier before she had completed the spell. She has yet to find these demons that had invaded, for some reason they were able to escape her sharp senses. It made her a bit nervous that they could do that, and wonder just what they were planning.

Her sensing of the demon or otherwise aura was a skill that she could proudly say that she had mastered; everything else needed work, especially her archery skills. Kagome knew that she would never be as graceful with the bow as her deceased mother had been. She let a small soft smile grace her lips as she let the recollections of her past occupy her mind. When she was younger, her mother would have the youkai cat, buyou hid somewhere upon the shrines premises and have her try and hone her sense in on the kitten aura. She remembered it quite well....

She was about the age of Shippo now, five, and her mother had declared her old enough to begin her training as a Miko. She remembered being so thrilled at the mere idea of being like her mother. Now, Kagome shook her head sadly, now she understood the weight of responsibility her position brought. She did not then, but recently, well five years ago, she had discover how important she was to the protection of the people and how they had depended upon her to keep them safe. She understood that now, but she had wished that she realized it then for if she had maybe then Shippo would still have his family.

Shaking her head of the depressing memories, Kagome stood from the side of her bed to get dressed out of her night kimono. Rummaging through her closet she found her regular white kimono and red nagamaka, the outfit of a priestess. She despised this outfit, but also held a pride in it. It was strange but true. She despised it for that it represented her being miko, her pride in it came from the fact that her mother had worn these cloths nearly every day of her life, her mother had made the from her own two hands. That is why she holds so much pride in this material.

It was strange that she disliked her priestess heritage so, but when she was younger could not wait until she was able to become one officially herself. Then she did not understand what a Miko was, but she knew now, oh how she knew. The bitter truth that she had learned during her time in the city was that she is a murder. Plain and simple truth, priestesses... they were murders! At first she did not want to believe it, her mother was one, but she learned the hard way... didn't she.

It was only few weeks prior to her mothers death that she left the capital to inform the Over Lord of her mother's illness and that she would be unable to attend to her Miko duties until she regained her health. It was then, that meeting, that the lord fell for her and after her death she took both Shippo and Souta into the city so that she would be able to take over her mother's duty. It was a few days after that that she had another meeting with the Over Lord.... it was that meeting that changed her life forever...

Kagome walked uneasily through the wide corridors of the castle; she stopped before two large ominous black doors of metal, bolts out lining the sides. She never made a move to open them, thought, as they flew to the sides allowing her access. She entered cautiously, eyes darting about in the darkness waiting for something or someone to take her down by surprise. Shockingly enough nothing ever came. She could see nothing of her surroundings, besides the carpet upon which she walked and the evenly place pillars that lined up along the carpet leading towards the dais of which the throne sat upon. The sight made chills run widely along her spine, not matter how much light enter this room that and everything beyond the red carpet always remained oblivious to the light.

Kagome could see a hint of glowing red eyes watching her every movement, but could see nothing else of the person upon the devil's throne. That was what the people call it, it was said that even the fires of hell wouldn't be bright enough to let you see it, but it was foolish to even try. One look at the throne and your soul would be sucked from your body dry. It was said to be a mercy upon the people the Over Lord never let his throne be seen by the masses, along with himself. People often wondered if the lord was the devil himself. She shuddered as she thought these things, but her attention was snapped from them as the lord chuckled dryly.

"My lady Kagome, are you to stand there and gawk all day or are we to get down to business?" Commented in a mockingly angered tone. She could feel his eyes searching her body over as if they were trying to memorize every curve; Kagome shivered then trying to ignore his probing eyes while bowing her head in embarrassment.

"Yes my lord." She implored gently. "What is it you wish to speak with me about, if I may?"

It unnerved her at how she could not see his facial expression; it always made her less nervous when talking to a stranger if she could see their faces. Her mother had taught her at a young age to be able to read people from their posture to facial features, in order to get some insight into there true nature. She could not see her lord and therefore did not know of what he was truly like, though if she were to go by rumors... the man was utterly ruthless.

"There are a few demons here that need to be exterminated." He explained.

She gulped. "What were their crimes, that would warrant such an action of punishment?"

He laughed, the sound lacking in warmth and actually merriment, but harsh and utterly cruel. It set her bones on edge. "Miko they are demons! They need not do anything to warrant it, besides it's not for you to question... should someone especially I ask you to exterminate one of the filthy vermin you would do so." He bit about harshly. "You are a Miko and this is your job, now I ask you find these demons and do the world a favor by taking them from the plan in existence. The do nothing but blemish our world."

Kagome could scarcely believe was she was hearing, all these years she thought her only duty was to keep the barrier going and too stop youkai you thought to murder those of the city and villages. Why would anyone wish to hold this title as priestess? To kill demons, even if innocent of any wrong doings... It was murder. There was no doubting it. Did her mother hate this as well; did she wish more then anything to run from her duties, from what she is, and never look back? That was what she wished that she could do.

"Kagome!" Her name being yelled by her adoptive son snapped her from the depressing thoughts that sought to consume her little by little. Tucking in her kimono, she tied the belt to her nagamaka while heading out her door and down the stairs.

"What is it Shippo?" She asked hiding the earlier emotions that plagued her behind a false smile that went unnoticed. Both her adoptive son and Souta sat around the table eating the dinner she had prepared a bit ago but stopped to give her their most pleadingly innocent facades. They wanted something, but what?

"Souta and I want to go looking around the shrine before it gets to dark, can we, can we?" He pleaded, his face transforming into his famous puppy pout. Kagome always felt so helpless when the kit decided to put it into play; with a hesitant sigh she waved her hand in approval as she turned to her meal. It wasn't fair that he could pull of such a feat; he was a kitsune for goodness sake and not a dog! Both boys' jumped from their seats, rushing to pull her into a hug, before rushing towards the back door.

"Don't go off the shrine grounds, it's too late for that!" She called after their receding forms. With a shake of her head Kagome's eyes dropped to her food, watching it like she were waiting for the stew to do something miraculous. She pushed the bowl aside gently, she wasn't hungry, her thoughts still upon her earlier recollections and shivered slightly, the room suddenly lacking in warmth. She may be a priestess, but she would be dammed if she killed a youkai without being provoked into doing so. She would not kill without reason, absolutely refused to. It was the only way she could live with what she was.

Standing from the table she left the kitchen toward the front door. She suddenly found herself in need of comfort, the comfort only her mother could offer her for her troubling thoughts. Walking as stealthy as she could, she did not want to alert the boys of her presence outside, Kagome walked towards the mini shrine at the right side of the house. She found herself in need of a conversation with her, even if the woman was deceased.

For some strange reason Kagome found herself seeking out her mother's wisdom a lot more then usual lately. Even though she never got a spoken response, she could always feel her spiritually. It helped to give her strength, to help assure her that her decision making in life was the correct one. With slow movements, Kagome's feet brought her before the shoji screen entrance to the mini shrine. Before this door lay her mother's urn.

Reaching out to slide the screen aside, she paused in her movements, hand pausing in mid air before letting it drop to her side. Should she really bother her mother with this, the demons that plague her soul? Kagome shook her head with a slight smile gracing her lips, no. Her Haha-ue would call her foolish for even thinking such things. Her mother always listened no matter what, even if it were silly in her opinion. Her smile faltered a bit, this time her talk had to deal with her mother's profession, that now was her own. Should she really interrupt her Haha-ue's rest for something that would likely maker her sad? Still with hesitation she opened slide the screen back and walked in side slowly, sliding the door partway behind her.

Holding a had gripped in the material above her heart, Kagome dropped to her knees upon the kneeling cushion bowing her head eyes squeezed shut. Even after all these years her mother's death still pained her young heart, but maybe it wasn't the death that really effected her as much as how it had happened. Letting go of the material she slammed her fist into the ground, forcing back the tears that wished to fall.

"I'm sorry mama, I should have known..." She whispered brokenly. "Some miko that I turned out to be, I couldn't even detect the evil in him he hid it so well..." using that back of her hand to wipe at the unwanted tears that managed to fall she laughed softly. "I know you wouldn't want to hear me beat myself over this but it's so hard not to... so I'm going to change the subject to why I'm really here." She folded her hands in her lap, studying the picture of her mother. She never wanted to be one of those children who forgets their parent once they leave to the afterlife. She always wanted to remember her mother. "You know, you were always good at changing the subject, I guess that's why I'm a master know, huh?"

His body cringed when her fist made contact with the wooden plank floor, causing, to the human eye, an invisible crack. Amber eyes widened slightly as the scent of salt water teased his sense, she was crying. Focusing in a bit more he was able to hear what she was whispering quite clearly.... her mother.... Inuyasha tried to shifted his positioning in order to catch a glimpse of the woman whom the young girl called mother. He couldn't see much, but he was able to tell they shared the same raven locks and eyes. His heart ached for her; this girl blamed herself for her own mother's death. He too, knew what if felt like to be the cause of a mothers death... if he weren't ever born or if he were stronger, his mother would be alive right know. Well, would have lived a longer life then normal. Upon his father's death, her life span would have been shortened to its normal years as a human.

Fingering the picture, she began hoping that it did not bring her mother sad thoughts as well. "Am I a murderer, haha-ue?" She asked. "I know that you would tell me I am not, that I am only performing my duties as a shrine madden, but I feel like one." She confessed. "Why must my job consist of exterminating entire the demon race? Not all demons are bad, like not all humans are good..." She mumbled the last part out. "Just down understand... I know that sometimes I must kill to keep those safe from harm, but there are those like Shippo, and I know that he could never hurt anyone. His parents would've never either, they lived peacefully out in the woods."

Inuyasha's heart stopped, amber eyes widening considerably, could it even be possible? Could there actually be a miko out there that wishes not to kill a demon? If this girl saw one, would she shoot first and question it or go about the situation backwards...? Inuyasha snorted softly. _Keh, stupid girl, thinking like that's gonna get her killed._ Why would he even care? Not wanting to continue with his line of thought, he continued to watch and listen to the girl bear both and heart and soul to her mother.

**__**

~*~

The sky was beginning to lose the light the sun provided as it began to sink low beyond the horizon. The sky was cloudless, as the stars began to make their appearance in the heavens. There was a slight wind the ruffled the fur of the cotton ball look alike as he hopped along, following his slightly larger companion who kindly decided to slow down his gait enough for him to keep up. The cotton ball wore a thoughtful expression as he walked. "What do you suppose we should do once we get there?"

"Oi don't know, kill 'er." Replied the giant

The cotton ball rolled it'd dot eyes, frowning at his companion's idiocy. "Well duh, of course were going to kill her, but we can't just walk up there and expect her not to shoot at us. She is said to be extremely powerful, we need to come up with a plan or we'll be the ones ending up dead." It informed, as it jumped to land on its companions shoulder blade. Taking in deep breaths, it silently reveled in its small break from walking.

"Oi never thought 'o that." The giant omitted. "Maybe we should just kill 'er fast, real fast so 'he won't be able to kill us." The demon supplied helpfully, or at lest it thought so.

The cotton ball sighed in annoyance from it position upon the demons shoulder. "I always wondered why they sent little old me on this journey with you when I held no real strength." It explained allowed to it's larger companion whom only glanced down at the small spec, or at lest to him was consider so. "I now understand why. They thought to at lest make sure someone with brains was able to wield the bronze in the right direction." He stated matter-of-fact. "I make the plans you take down the enemies, that's got to be what they had in mind, else wise I don't understand why I was ordered to make this journey." He sighed and leaded back to enjoy the ride. _I wish those idiot counsel men did more then through about orders and expect the rest of the world to understand what they meant. _He thought angrily, _otherwise I might have known my position in this assignment long ago._

The giant purple demon scratched the back of his head, causing the poor cotton ball look alike to hold on for dear life. "'Ey, Oi'm like a sword." He chuckled slightly to himself.

The cotton ball gave him a long sided look, _idiot, _he thought disdainfully. "Yes, exactly like that." He replied noticeable sarcasm dripping from each word.

"Yes, yes, Oi am aren't Oi?" The cotton ball sweat dropped, looking at the demon as if he had just sprouted a second head. How in the world did that go over his head, he can't be that stupid can he. It shot him another look from the corner of his eyes, and watched as the demon took in all the sights with strange glint to his dark orbs. The cotton ball could have sworn he saw some intelligence lurking around in there, but maybe he did not see correctly.

Shrugging it of as a play upon his senses, it said. "We can't just run up there and kill her as fast as possible, she's probably got barriers placed around her home that would alert her toward our presence. We need to think of a way to disarm that hindrance, and another way to sneak about with out her sensing either of us. She doesn't need a barrier to sense us she could do so on her own, if we are not careful." He explained and watched as his giant companion nodded his head in agreement with him, causing the cotton ball to wonder yet again if there was more to his moronic demon friend the he lead on. They always say appearances are deceiving. 

**__**

~*~

"I just can't bring myself to understand it...." She sighed in frustration. "I told you this before, I know, but I feel like speaking of it again. Remember when I said that right before I ran form the over lord he requested that I hunt down a few demons and slay them?" She questioned, waiting a few moments as if waiting for the dead woman to answer in reply. Acting as if it were so the young miko continued on. "He wanted me to hunt down a few demons because they were simply that, demons." She shook her head disdainfully a frown marring her, what most would call beautiful, features upon her face. "They did nothing to warrant such an act on my part and so I refused...." She trailed fisting her hands into her red nagamaka, so enmeshed were they that her hands began to pale so a deathly white as she forced her eyes to stay dry. Memories began to over take of that day, and she bowed her head low wishing not to remember.

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"He was the one that threw you to the wolves my dear, you should thank him." The voice taunted her mind, a voice and words she remembered hearing before a long time ago in the past before she ran.

Inuyasha watched silently as she held her head bowed eyes squeezed shut at if she were battling something within, he could smell the salt of tears. His heart lurched as he gazed upon her pathetic form, he wanted to reach out to her and comfort her like his mother had. To rock her back and forth in his embrace to chase away those demons that plagued her mind. Without even realizing it Inuyasha began to take a few steps forward, before ducking around the corner as a board creaked under his foot, causing her to snap up. _You idiot! _He snapped at himself mentally at his momentary lapse in sense. _Stupid girl, making me weak for a moment and almost getting caught._ It didn't matter to him what she said, the girl was still a priestess and thus fourth could not be trusted by him, a being with partial demon blood flowing through his veins. They were natural enemies.

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"You want to know how your mother was killed..." The voice from memory drawled with words spoken once before, trying to draw in her suspense. _"It was his fault as well as your own, if it weren't for you both I-"_ Kagome jumped her feet at the sound her eyes searching the room frantically fearing the man was back, but calmed immediately once she realized where she was. Suddenly she found herself very grateful to whoever made the noise that woke her from the voices with in her mind.

She let her sense extended all around her thinking that perhaps Souta or Shippo had come looking for her, but came up empty handed. If she weren't so intent upon locating the only family she had left she would have felt the presence watching her with an intense gaze before bounding up towards the roof and back towards his shelter for the time being. With a contented sigh she stalked towards the door, both of them were at the opposite end of the shrine that was void of threatening aura's as far as she could tell.

With a glance back toward her mother, she smiled slightly. "Bye." She whispered faintly. "I'll come back and visit again, but next time it will be happy alright." That now being said she turned back towards the screen, slipping through the small opening she slid it shut all the way. One done she began her trek back towards the house only to stop noticing the sun no longer held a place in the sky, but the moon instead.

Raising her voice, she cupped her hands around her mouth to better affect a louder tone, she yelled out. "Souta, Shippo, its time to come in!" She smiled to herself as she felt them sluggishly make there way back towards her; once again she used the same actions as before yelling. "Hurry, you don't want to be eaten up and swallowed by hungry demons!" She nearly laughed out right when she sensed them both rushing toward the house.

**__**

~*~

Inuyasha landed gracefully toward the earth in a crouched position, before standing up straight and entering his for-right-now home. He snorted at the thought. This was not his home, and in a few days, as he still needed a better understanding of things, he would depart from this shrine and see if he could find his brother.

His thoughts were cut short when a scream seared through his sensitive eardrums causing his dog-ears to press against his skull in a failed attempt to block out the sound. "Souta, Shippo it's time to come in." He recognized this voice to be that of the girls, Souta's sister. It wasn't long before she was yelling again causing his ears to repeat their position from before. He hated having to do so; it always made his ears so stiff afterwards. "Hurry, you don't want to be eaten up and swallowed by hungry demons!" He stiffened at that. No it wasn't because she had made the comment about demons eating people, it didn't bother him, as with most demons it was true. They actually did lurk in the shadows waiting for someone stupid enough to travel in the dark before ambushing to taste their flesh for an evening snack.

Inuyasha shuddered at the thought; he never understood why demons found human flesh so tasty. It was rather disgusting to him, but then maybe it had something to do with the fact the he had human in him. He shook his head, no; his father and Sesshoumaru never including flesh of human in their daily course, but then that could be because of him and his mother.

His mom.... that's what the statement made him remember, strange as it sounds....

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Inuyasha threw his ball as high as he could, watch it with glowing amber eyes as it fell back towards the earth and into his cubby awaiting arms. He grinned; he was getting better at this whole catching thing. When he had first started, he had missed the ball a few times, having it slip right through or past his small arms. Sesshoumaru had said that once he was able to catch the ball without missing it once that his coordination would have improved a lot from this exorcise. Inuyasha had no idea what coordination meant, but was only ecstatic at the fact that his older brother was teaching him something. As the older youkai had said once he master it he would teach the hanyou to fight like himself so that Inuyasha could protect his human mother when they were away.

Inuyasha liked that thought a lot. He always felt so helpless when they were being attack by other demons and humans alike and he could do nothing at all to aid his brother and father in protecting them all. Soon, though, after he masters this ball catching technique he would be able to protect his mother. After the training with his brother, of course. He needed to know how to fight first, before he could do anything to help in a battle.

"Inuyasha, dear!" He heard his mother call out to him and his grin widened, yes soon he would be able to protect his mother like she did for him. He frowned sadly; she was the only one, beside his dad and brother, whom ever cared about him. Everyone else seemed to dislike him. Inuyasha never understood why, but guessed it had something to do with being a half-breed. Whatever it was... "Hurry Inuyasha and come inside before it becomes to dark. If you wait much longer, demons would come and swallow you whole." She joked lightly as she strolled up to him.

"No demon would ever be able to be me because I'm gonna be as strong as father and Sesshoumaru, maybe even stronger." He puffed out his chest. "And then I would be able to help protect you, like Sesshoumaru does." He stated proudly.

She smiled brightly, reaching over to rub one of his ears. Inuyasha always loved when she did that, rubbing his ears. It always made him feel so calm, he had to fight the urge to start growling. It was always embarrassing because it made him sound like a purring cat. "Well until then we should hurry inside, your brother wishes to see you. He wants to know how far you've come along."

Inuyasha smile widened, his eyes sparkling with immeasurable glee. Grabbing his mother's hand he practically dragged her all the way back to the house. "We've got to hurry mama, before Sesshy changes his mind." He pleaded urgently.

Inuyasha smiled slightly at the memory, before his eyes gained a sad cast to them. It was his fault that she died, as he was unable to protect her like he should have.

Wanting to get his mind of his painful past Inuyasha decided to dig through the boxes that littered the back, completely throwing from his mind the runts warnings. Crawling over slowly he pulled a box towards him and shoved his clawed hand in side before coming out with an odd book. Flipping it in all directions as he examined it, the hanyou paused as a slip of paper fell out. Setting the book aside he was amazed to find a portrait of.... his eyes widened slightly, recognizing whom was there.

There was a man in the middle, about as tall as Sesshoumaru, but it was hard to tell if it were so, with long dark hair and dark eyes. To either side of him were a younger version of the girl and Souta. If it weren't for his demon sense he mind not have been able to tell it was their younger selves, but youkai were always able to tell these things. Inuyasha was silently amazed at the artist's talent. To be able to paint on such a small thin paper, and make the family seem so real and the picture clear instead of fuzzy... he concluded they must have paid quite an amount to have it done.

Flipping the paper over he noticed some writing on the back....

__

Souta on the right, dad in the middle and Kagome on the left....

Taken in 2030, may 14 Thursday afternoon

That last part made absolutely no sense to him, but his eyes looked up from the picture in his hand as his eyes looked around everything else before coming to rest upon a small table much like the one in the mini shrine Souta's mother was kept in. His eyes narrowed at the urn sitting upon it. Deciding on getting a closer look, he scooted in, only to see a dusty portrait of the same man behind it. Amber orbs widening, Inuyasha recalled what the boy said when he had first come to stay here.

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"On either side of the house are two mini shrines, the one to the back is were you'll stay, ane-ue never goes there so it would be safe alright. The other shrine it doesn't matter if you go there or not, just be sure not to let my sister see you okay."

Inuyasha sat back against his futon, his eyes suddenly growing heavy. It did look as if this place had been without company for a long time, he guessed the girl and her father never got along then... strange though as they looked pretty happy in the picture. With an open mouth yawn, fangs glinting in the moonlight, Inuyasha lay back readying for sleep. What did he care anyways, it's not like it was any of his business weather or not the miko girl got along with her father or not. That was his last thought before falling into a dreamless sleep.

**__**

~*~

A/N: Hey, sorry that this chappie is a bit late… I really am, but here it is and I hope you all enjoy…… and remember……………………………

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More reviews, faster updates!!!!!

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	4. Foray

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Disclaimer: I see no evil... I hear no evil... I speak no evil... if that is so, then I cannot say what needs to be said... so just assume that I said it...

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The Devil's Rule

Chapter Three: Foray

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Inuyasha lay his head back against the furthest wall in his little abode, eyes staring sightlessly ahead of him his mind wondering through many thoughts. So far he has stayed at this shrine, for a reason unknown to him, for about a well over a week, which was more like years, yet this seemed to last longer then all the others. He didn't know why it was, but had a feeling it was something to do with the fact that the two runts leaving him to his own devices the whole day. He would have never thought they would take him seriously!

For the last couple of days he had been complaining about the lack of time alone to think every time they visited, and that was about four times day. Sure he may have been annoyed a bit about their over obsessive need to make sure that he have his every need met and that he was still there and not half way in to town, but now that they were gone... he kind of missed them. Inuyasha was never one to socialize, never went out of his way to speak with another living soul, but he always had his brother around to keep him company when boredom hit. Right now he had no one, and the heavy silence of the room was threatening to crush him with the sheer weight of it all.

Inuyasha let his body slump forward, catapulting to the ground with a thump. He did nothing to right his position on the floor, not caring that his upper half was flat against the floor while he was still in a sitting position. He was sure to have back problems in the near future, but this thought was quickly ignored and the subject of the priestess not to far from him took its place.

He must of a death wish or something, as least somewhere deep in side his subconscious mind. Why else would he, a hanyou, stay at a shrine with a priestess nearby whose soul purpose is to kill his kind? Yep he definitely had one of those. His brother would be calling him an idiot half-bread right about now, that, or inquire if it had to due with the fact the she was a pretty girl and had a nice figure. He groaned mentally, did he just call her pretty with a nice figure!? Well it had been a long time since he last even looked at a girl other then to order some food from a tavern, and that was about a couple decades ago, so maybe it had to deal with his lack of women? Well whatever it is he's truly signing his death by not picking up and leaving like his mind so wished him to do... his eye shot open wide. He sure hoped she wasn't the kind of miko that could do that mind reading stuff. He surely would find himself purified then. To humans it was consider a sin to have any less then pure thoughts of their beloved priestess, while to demons it was just sick and disturbing. He usually felt the same way, as the demons that is, but there was just something different about this girl.

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Fingering the picture, she began hoping that it did not bring her mother sad thoughts as well. "Am I a murderer, haha-ue?" She asked. "I know that you would tell me I am not, that I am only performing my duties as a shrine madden, but I feel like one." She confessed. "Why must my job consist of exterminating entire the demon race? Not all demons are bad, like not all humans are good..." She mumbled the last part out. "Just don't understand... I know that sometimes I must kill to keep those safe from harm, but there are those like Shippo, and I know that he could never hurt anyone. His parents would've never either, they lived peacefully out in the woods."

"I just can't bring myself to understand it...." She sighed in frustration. "I told you this before, I know, but I feel like speaking of it again. Remember when I said that right before I ran form the over lord he requested that I hunt down a few demons and slay them?" She questioned, waiting a few moments as if waiting for the dead woman to answer in reply. Acting as if it were so the young miko continued on. "He wanted me to hunt down a few demons because they were simply that, demons." She shook her head disdainfully a frown marring her, what most would call beautiful, features upon her face. "They did nothing to warrant such an act on my part and so I refused...." She trailed fisting her hands into her red nagamaka, so enmeshed were they that her hands began to pale so a deathly white as she forced her eyes to stay dry. Memories began to over take of that day, and she bowed her head low wishing not to remember.

Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut as he recalled her words that day about half a week ago. He wasn't sure if he believed them or not. What reason would she have to lie when she thought herself to be alone with just her dead mother's ashes? Still it was a little hard to comprehended, as the fact still remained... She is a priestess. He is a demon, or at least part. They were considered to be natural mortal enemies. It was enmeshed into his very being, these beliefs, and her stupid words were screwing them up making him question if everything he thought to be true actually was.

He slammed his head into the wood planked floor, his sliver hair spilling over and blocking everything from view, digging his claws into the floor in his aggravation. Stupid girl was making him think too much! Normally when he was alone he sat in silence, and that meant his mind too and for some reason some unforeseeable force decided that thought's needed to invade his mind during his unwanted quiet time. If someone out there thought that he needed to be occupied then why not send one of the runts crashing through, or even better yet, some fool of demon to try and attack what he claimed as his to protect. He could really use a fight to help release the pent up energy surging through his veins making him just a tad bit to antsy.

Inuyasha grinned as loud crashes reached his ears along with a feminine scream, jumping to his feet with renewed vigor, he thanked whatever being decided to answer his thoughts and send him a good battle. Cracking his knuckles as he made his way to the exit, his grin turned feral as his body shook with the anticipation of the fight. Oh this creature was so going to pay for attempting to harm what he had claimed to protect, he would make sure of that. Too bad his brother wasn't there; things would have been a bit more interesting. With a shrug he bolted off to slowly kill the intruder.

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~*~

Stepping out of the bath Kagome hastily wrapped her robe around her naked flesh, shivering a bit when the cool air of the evening brushed across her face, chilling her wet hair.

These past few days have been uneasy for her, nearly jumping at her own shadow when it moved. Nearly a week and a half and still she had yet to see any signs of the demons that had managed to bypass the barrier, had managed to surpass her own power. Over the past couple of days she had felt demon aura's two only a few miles away, and another very close by, but as soon as she felt the brush of aura upon her own it was gone. This unsettled her. Normally a demon was unable to hide from her and yet there were three out there who managed to do just that. With a sigh of helpless aggravation, Kagome un-shouldered her robe in favor of the traditional priestess grab. She may have hated what it represented, what it meant, but she loved it all the same. For it made her feel closer to her deceased mother.

For these past days she had refused the boys the freedom the forest seemed to offer for the young soul, telling them, finally, of her fears. How they had reacted surprised her, she had thought that they would be upset with the news of no longer being able to traverse outside the shrine and complain about it. Kagome nearly smiled to herself when she thought of their reactions to the news.

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Kagome pointed towards the stools located around the island of the kitchen, before she herself seated directly in front of them arms resting upon the back of breakfast stool. She watched them awhile, her mind going over possible ways to explain the situation to them. She could tell they were growing uneasy with her prolonged silence and unintentional scrutiny.

With a sigh she straitened herself to sit taller, arms still resting upon the stools back, she began her explanation of the long needed to be discussed situation. "I want you guys to stay one the shrine grounds, no more going out into the woods for a while. It's not safe." She commanded sternly, her gray-blue eyes daring them to say differently.

"But why?" They both questioned simultaneously, crossed arms, and a petulant pout fixed upon their faces. She would have laughed if the situation hadn't been so serious. If it weren't for the fact that both boy's appearance and blood were completely different she would have assumed they were twins with how they nearly always act like one. She guessed it was true what they say, the more time you spend with a person the more you end up acting like that person.

Kagome gave the twosome her don't-question-me look, before replacing it with something a bit softer as she went to explain her reasoning behind the order she gave them, hoping that they would understand. "I sensed something a while back and it seems to be getting closer, I just don't want anything to happen to you guy's alright." She whispered softly, her mind playing the events of five years ago. "I don't want you loose you guys too." The words were so softly spoken under her breath from her lips that Souta did not catch them, but Shippo did.

He studied her a minute noticing the sad cast to her eyes and instantly knew what she was thinking about. The kit never knew his grandmother, but Souta had always sad that she was nice, but more importantly whenever his Haha-ue got that look her in her eyes she was thinking about how she died. Souta had always said that haha-ue blamed herself for his grandmother's death. "Is it a demon?" He finally questioned, after a moments study and thought.

Her shoulders slumped, her head coming to rest upon her loosely crossed arms over the back of the stool. "I'm not completely sure, but yeah, I think so." She informed. "Two of them are a bit far off, but one of them is very close to the shrine, so please be careful." Kagome pleaded as she stood from her chair, but not before giving the two a sidelong look. Why did they look so nervous? With a shrug she played it off on her lack of sleep, as her mind had been to busy with thoughts of the demons making they're way towards their shrine.

Both Souta and Shippo shared a look before jumping to there feet with a strong voiced declaration. "Don't worry haha-ue "Ane-ue" we'll protect you from the evil demons!" The shouted out in unison thrusting their fists into the air. Making a grab for the kit's hand, Souta shouted over his shoulder to his sister. "We'll be right back Ane-ue, we're gonna put up some of grandpa's old sutra's to ward off evil!"

Kagome laughed silently to herself as she recalled the memory. Their grandfather's sutra's, now that was pretty funny! She doubted that those sutra's that the boys plastered all over the place were actually going to work, but decided against saying anything. She thought it was rather sweet they would want to protect her, even going as far as to spend the better part of the day plastering wards all over the shrine grounds, not matter the fact that the wards were a bit useless. Her grandfather was a bit eccentric, going on and on about legends -that he claims to be complete and utter truth- and always insisting she and Souta learn his amazing priestly powers. No one ever had the heart to tell the old man that he held not an ounce of spiritual powers with in him.

With the gentle shake of her head, Kagome pushed the thoughts to the furthest recesses of her mind as she slowly made her way down the steps of her home. She froze, her hand hovering above the banister of the stairway. Within the back of her conscious she could feel the cold tingle, before it consumed her whole entire body. She shuddered violently before retreating toward her bedroom for her bow and arrows. Once retrieved Kagome rushed outside her home to be standing at the foot of the steps that lead up to the shrine. Retrieving an arrow from her quiver, Kagome notched it drawing back the bowstring; aiming the point of the head toward the direction she felt the evil aura coming from.

It wasn't a long wait as she could see what looked to be a bouncing white ball coming towards her at an immeasurable rate, but she did not release the bow string, instead reading the aura to find out if in fact this demon's intent are less then pure. It was then that she felt the aura behind her.

It was then that time seemed to slow.

As Kagome turned her head to see the source, her eyes widened. There behind her was a hulking giant of a demon; purple in color, and menacing snarl gracing it's lips. She watched as it pulled back it's massive arm, palm flat out, and she had no time at all to reposition herself to defend against its attack.

The palm slammed against her sending her sailing clear across the shrines courtyard, her head slamming into the cement of the ground, stars exploded her vision as a scream came unbidden to her lips. The pain that coursed through her head and body immeasurable that she had to fight for her consciousness. Forcing her body to at least kneel, and her head to move about despite the pain it caused. Panic welled within her chest as her gaze came to rest upon her broken bow and scattered arrows. Forcing calm upon herself she stood despite the dizziness that took her and the pain that threatened to consume her till she only wished for death.

If she could get close enough to the larger demon then she only need to touch him before she lost herself to the wonderful oblivion of unconscious sleep. Kagome only hoped that her brother and adopted son were well away from this part of the shrine as she didn't believe in her current state that she would be able to protect them from this new threat.

She took a step forward, before pausing to regain herself, but it was only short not enough to give the demon a chance to notice it, at lest she thought so.

With the speed and grace no hanyou should be able to accomplish, Inuyasha landed between the threat and what was his to protect now. He had made a promise to that boy, Souta, and to this day he hasn't broken a promise sealed by his own words yet and he didn't intend to start now even if the girl under that protection happened to be a priestess. Hunched over, claws and fangs bared menacingly Inuyasha stared down the ones whom dared to harm what was his to defend. Pathetic excuse for a youkai didn't even heed his scent markings around the place. Idiots.

The hanyou watched warily as the a little cotton ball look-a-like hopped up to his companions shoulder staring him down with bewildered eyes. "I never thought a youkai would ever defend a priestess, I thought my nose was playing tricks on me. Your a hanyou, wouldn't you bare an even greater distaste for her kind?" He questioned, fully expecting an answer in turn.

Seeing this Inuyasha grinned. "You got me there, I can't stand 'em, but a promise is a promise." With sniff of the air he took in the miko's sent to accesses her injuries. Blood. There was lots of it; Inuyasha didn't understand how the girl was still conscious with the amount he smelt on her. A low rumble began in his throat only to rise in sound until it was heard by all; for some reason her blood scent angered him. He didn't know why but he could feel the youkai in him stir with unparallel rage. Unaware his eyes flashed red for a moment. He grinned at the unease that seemed to take over the intruders, they must sense the blood in him stir as well he concluded. "And you will soon regret messing what is my to protect." His voice to on the resemblance of steel being bared, and it caused the other two youkai to wince invisibly, but wince never the less.

Kagome watched the proceedings in curiosity. Why was this demon helping her if he seemed to hate her so? She never remembered making a promise with him... why was he helping her? Kagome stilled her thoughts as pain shot through her head, moving a hand up to clutched it in hopes to ease the pain. It did nothing, but at least her surroundings stopped spinning. If she weren't in such pain she would have noticed the hanyou's aura change slightly.

The cotton ball growled. "You know your betraying your kind by helping out this particular priestess. She is the reason we cannot stop the Over Lord and here you are helping her! Are you in league with him? Is that it?" He questioned furiously, venom seeping into his every word.

"What the hell is it with this damn Over Lord crap! You know your not the first to ask me that." Relaxing his stance, Inuyasha drew fourth his Tetsusaiga, but did not let it transform, and scoffed at the over confidence that seemed to be radiating off the two one the witnessed the condition of his choice in weaponry. Boy are they in for one heck of a surprise. "Before I kill you, I ask of you what province do you serve, western, northern, southern, or is it the eastern lord?" That was what, at least what he remembered as it could have changed like everything else in this warped world he created, one was to ask before ending the life of a demon. It was good to know whom you had to watch out for if the province decided to retaliate for their loss.

"The west, what's it to you?" He spat.

There's his answer. With a sigh he sheathed his sword, Sesshoumaru wouldn't be too happy if he were to kill some of his servants. Now that question was what did this girl do to his brother that would warrant her assassination. "And her I thought Sesshoumaru knew how to better pick his assassins, I suggest you stand down."

The cotton ball bristled at this. "How dare you speak in such away about our lord!" He seethed.

"Damn, you sound like that toad Jaken. I can speak of him however I please, he is my brother, and if you wish to live a moment longer you will stand down." As soon as these words left his lips and infiltrated what little brains they held, both demons scrambled into the kneeling positions heads bowed, body resting upon one knee with a hand to the heart. Though the cotton ball did have a bit of trouble with this. All in all it made for a pretty comical scene and Inuyasha had to use what control he had to not laugh out right. "Ah, so know you understand." He couldn't help the laugh that escaped with the words he'd spoken.

The cotton ball eyed the sword at his hip in new understanding. He had finally come to realize just how close he came to losing his life. There were not many that could stand up to the sword known to be able to slay one hundred demons at one, heck, even Sesshoumaru had a time to defend against such a power so therein what chance did the lowly cotton ball have? None that's what! "My lord if I may ask, where have you been all these centuries? It is strange but for some reason you seem to be not older then you were from when you disappeared from the battle all those years ago." He remarked meekly, his tone subdued.

Inuyasha shrugged. "Was knocked out during the battle I guess, and then I woke up in the middle of the forest only to find my way here. There's one thing I want you to answer me though, how's Sesshoumaru, did he win the battle?" _Did he get his revenge for his mother? _He added silently. Sesshoumaru never wanted the others to know the real reason for him entering a war that had nothing to do with him. He didn't want other's to know that underneath all of that stone he had a heart and wanted revenge on his mother's murders, and not because he was her whelp, but because he loved her.

The cotton ball was silent a moment, before he answered. "The lord disappeared the same day as you." He replied. "We didn't win the war, we were at first, but then the over lord showed up with his never ending army. In the end he nearly claimed all of Japan, only the Island of Hokkaido is left. Everyone thinks the lord is dead."

Inuyasha took in all of the information with disbelieving ears, clenching his fists hard enough that his claws bit into his skin. He could feel his own blood drip from his closed fist to the ground, as well as the smell assaulting his nose. "My brother is not dead, and I will not hear you say it either! You both stay out here and wait for me, I want to know more of what has happened while I was missing." Turning Inuyasha found the priestess regarding him with curious eyes. Approaching her carefully, Inuyasha said soothingly. "I won't hurt you and neither will that, at lest I won't let them, I'm going to take you inside and get you bandaged up. You're bleeding pretty bad."

"Oh, I am." Where her faintly whispered word before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her legs gave way beneath her. With a deadly grace and fast movements Inuyasha caught the priestess before she hit the ground. Gathering the girl up into his arms, he gave the two other demons a look that clearly stated _'move and die'_. They held no intentions of doing that, who would want to deal with the ill-tempered brother of the two youkai? Ill-temperedness always is hard to predict.

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~*~

Inuyasha lay the priestess down upon her bed, at lest he assumed it was hers by the smell of it. Her scent was all over every thing, so much so that it nearly drowned out the stench of her blood, almost at lest. Kneeling down, he rolled the miko over a bit so that he had access to the back of her head. Using his clawed fingers to carefully move aside her hair while he inspected her skull for the damage, searching for the region that the blood seemed to originate from. Once found he parted her hair away from it, before standing to find a cloth, and he found it near a bath. Looking inside he noticed it full of water, he hesitated a moment. The water wasn't exactly clean, but it wasn't really dirty either. With another moments hesitation he dipped the cloth in, before returning to the priestess bedside.

Taking the now wet cloth be began to clean the clumps of blood away with a gentle practiced ease. He was use to tending his own wounds, but his newfound gentle approach came from his patient being a human female. They were generally pretty weak, though he had to admit he was somewhat shocked and amazed she had the strength to keep consciousness as long as she did with how badly wounded she is. Soon enough he could see the two-inch long gash along her head about a half an inch deep. He found himself growling again, and stopped it immediately. There was no reason for it. Yet for some reason as he worked on the girl he could feel the anger in his demon blood as it still stirred for control.

Suddenly he bent over to lick her wound tasting her blood, and his demon half purred in satisfaction at the sweet taste of it. As slow realization dawned upon him to what his actions meant, he jumped away from her, eyeing the prone from of the priestess like she may strike at any second. _What the hell..._ He thought as he eyed the back of her head, and the slowly heeling wound from his own saliva. He could still taste her blood on his tongue. It set his blood on fire while making him unbelievingly he nearly shivered from it, and the taste, spicy and smooth all in one nearly made him... he shook his head. _No! _He shouted to himself, he would not think like this, and he should have never tried to heal her in such away. It made demons crazy and such techniques were only made for mates.

Taking his eyes from the now small gash, Inuyasha tore the sleeve of his under kimono to make a bandage to wrap around her head. Once tied he sat back on his hunches, as he let his own mind runaway with the days events.

Just what kind of strange world did his mind create? More to the point is this even a world his mind created, what if he were somehow brought here? Whatever the case may be, he needed to find his brother; there was no way Sesshoumaru was killed in that war. He was too strong and proud to be killed off in such a pathetic excuse for a war. No, there was no possible way he is dead, and Inuyasha refused to even acknowledge such a possibility.

Then there was that over lord guy, he would need to find out more about him as well. Something happened back then, and he needed to understand what and why the human was still alive even after all of these years. There should be a new lord then. Another growl began deep in his throat, if this over lord had anything to do with his or Sesshoumaru's disappearances from the war he would personally make sure the lord had a slow and painful death before he met his end to hell. He did not like being toyed with.

He faintly wondered where the runts were during all of this, but did not dwell on it for long. He knew they weren't in any immediate danger, if they were he would have sensed it long before anything were able to happen to the two. He always kept his senses alert and trained on there aura's when they were not with him. He would never admit it but the two had grown on him in the time they he bedded down at the shrine.

First thing was first though, he needed to find out the location of his brother, while doing that though he could learn more about this Over Lord guy and this strange time he has found himself in. Once Sesshoumaru was found he could truly begin to formulate a plain, the two brothers always worked best when together. Though, he would have to admit, the older youkai was a bit better a putting together plans for war and such, not that he felt things would lead up to that, at lest not yet. The only thing he had to know right now were that this guy infiltrated his father's lands, which were left to him and his brother at his time of death, and claimed them for his own. If that wasn't enough for his demon instincts to want his head, as they would want nothing less for such a blatant act, he would be happy to find another reason to kill the supposed human.

Inuyasha's musings were cut short from the soft moan emitted from the girl's throat, leaning over he peered down at the miko's face. He nearly fell backwards when her eyes opened wide, her body rearing backwards in fear as a startled gasp coming from her lips, not soon after she grabbed her head groaning from the pain. Inuyasha could smell the blood coming from her mouth and realized she must have bitten it through in an attempt to hold back the pain that wished to consume her.

"Keh, stupid girl, if you keep moving around like that your going to make things worse. I didn't save you and bandage you just so you could make things worse on yourself." He told her gruffly to hide the strange concern that welled up in him upon her painful wince and groaning, while taking in her every move watching for signs of other injuries, or signs that her head may be getting to her. "Damn humans are so weak." He mumbled lowly under his breath.

She scowled at that remark, but said nothing to it; he did save her after all. Watching him warily, as she did not miss the words spoken between the two demons and hanyou, she got to her knees upon her bead. She wondered faintly how he knew this was her room, before she remembered youkai and their heightened senses. He could probably smell her scent all over the room. "If you hate me so much why what you would posses you to help me, where did you come from?" She questioned bravely, congratulating herself on not stuttering on a single word. Inside she was beyond nervous, here she was in her bedroom with a demon boy whom, from what she had heard, did not like her and apparently saved her for no reason other then he could. Did he want something from her... is that it?

"So you heard that, huh?" At her nod, he continued to elaborate all the while questioning himself for telling her anything at all. What right did she have to know? "Well I haven't had the best of luck with your type, but..." He looked away. "I promised your brother to protect you while I was here. He found me out in the woods and let me stay here till I got my memory back, or at lest remember how I ended unconscious there in the first place." He explained using the excuse given to him by her brother.

She looked down. "Oh." She whispered faintly, before clenching her fist. "I need to talk to him about letting strangers in the shrine without telling me about it first." Suddenly she blushed, realizing how the words sounded. "Err, um, thanks for saving me though, and you can still stay here if you want to, you don't have to leave."

Inuyasha's cheeks colored as well, not used to being thanked especially by a priestess. "Feh." Yep, that was a good word to use at the moment. It expresses so much without having to really mean anything at all.

She raised a brow to this response. "I'll take that as an 'your welcome for saving you and sure I'd love to say!'" She smiled brightly at the gawking hanyou; it wasn't long before he smoothed his features out into his normal scowl. She watched him for a moment as he stared down the sleeve of his hoari, twirling with it between his fingers. She moved to leave the comfort of her bed. "If your hungry I can make you something, I'm going to be make something for myself and Souta and Shippo, do you some as well?" She didn't even make it to the end of her bed before she was pushed back down with clawed hands, and disapproving hanyou above her. He growled in his chest and for a moment she was afraid, that is until the emotion in his eyes became identifiable to her. It was concern, bewildered by this she allowed herself to be pushed back down when normally she would not go with out a fight.

"Stupid girl, you need to rest. Feh, you're a weak human and loosing so much blood, you shouldn't be walking around for awhile." He turned to leave. "I'll make them something and you too, but don't leave your bed." With that he left the room to first prepare food, something he new nothing about making. Normally he just hunted, placed the meat over a fire and dug in, if he ever had anything else it was usually prepared by the cooks. After that was finished he would get his information from those to youkai, and if it were sufficient enough, like he new it most likely were to be, he would not kill them for invading what was his to protect. Now for him to make a meal, hopefully.

Inuyasha shook his head at his thoughts. _Damn it all, I'm going soft! _He growled mentally.

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A/N: So here's the long awaited chapter Four!!!! Yeah, I'm finally finished!!! 

Poor me, I always get Strep-throat every year, I swear there hasn't ever been a year to where I haven't, but anyways that is why it's been a few weeks since my last up date and to make this up to you all I plan to have the next update ready in at lest two days, good, ne? 

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*Read and comment* Oh, one more thing do you all thing I should change the rating on this story to R, cause of the violence, language, and possible future things like Miroku's attitude and such? It's really important that I get your impute on this cause I don't want to get in trouble for under rating thing fic -k- thanks….

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Review Answers:

Heart Of The Wizard- Thanks, I'm glad you think so… I hope to hear from you again, and thank you so very much for the review it always is nice to hear from the readers and it helps a lot!!! ~Zonza

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Blue- Thank you!!! I racked my brain long and hard for something that's never been done, and finally I came up with this one here… I don't much like reading the same type of stories either, unless of course they're very well written, then I'll make an exception. I love long chapters too, though that's probably obvious… Thanks again, and hope to hear from you again!!! ~Zonza

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Distance From Here- Yeah, you reviewed again!!! I love the cotton ball too, I think he's just so kawaii!!! And he also plays a big part in this story, or at lest one of them… Thank you, I'm glad you liked it… it's always rewarding to write a chapter and have nearly every one like it!!! Hope to hear from you again, and thanks for the review ~Zonza


	5. Cognizant

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Disclaimer: Got copy rights? I sure as heck don't....

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The Devil's Rule

Chapter Four: Cognizant

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Inuyasha stared listlessly at the 'stove', apparently one is able to use the devise to cook. The only problem with this would be that he had no idea how he was to make this 'stove' cook anything. He wouldn't have even known about this supposedly handy device if it weren't for the runts, and just thinking back on their little run in was enough to make his lips twitch into an almost smile. Something not rare of him, but not entirely common. Now his brother on the other hand... getting that taiyoukai to smile is like trying to move an entire mountain scrape with ones pinky finger. It is near to impossible. He would not deem the task impossible as in his time of life he has known Sesshoumaru to smile a number of time, each one out of one hundred years could be counted on both hands and maybe not even that.

Souta and Shippo had, after getting a sneak peak of the two demons on the grounds, had rushed into in form their sister of their findings. They were bother puffing with the speed they used to run, and when they saw him standing in the kitchen looking like a lost puppy, they nearly fainted. Just the memory of their frantic sentences of their sister murdering them if she were to find the hanyou in the house, were to find that they had let him stay there, and that he needed to hide incase she came down. He got back to examining the device before him, as the memory flashed through his conscious as if he were reliving it.

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Inuyasha nearly jumped five feet in the air when two forms came crashing through the back entrance located near the refrigerator, toppling over the other to land in a pile upon the tile floor. The inu-hanyou watched the proceedings, now that he knew a bit of what was going on, in barely concealed amusement. The two lay tangled up in each other shouting at the other to move so that he could speak with Kagome. Soon it got to the point where he could no longer hold it in, and began to laugh. It was just a few slight chuckles, but enough to freeze both Souta and Shippo as they knew no one else should be within the shrine home beside Kagome. That laugh was definitely not female.

With deep breaths both boy's hesitated before lifting their heads up in the direction of the sound. At that point, when recognition dawned upon them in an instant, Souta and Shippo stood together as if they were pricked with a needle in the bum; gapping stupidly at him.

After a few seconds of working jaws, the questions and feared courses of action to be played upon them took up the silence in the air that permeated for a short while.

"What are you doing in here!" Souta squeaked, eyes searching frantically around him for his sister's angry face.

Shippo turned to the sweating uncle of his, pointing an accusatory finger towards him. "I told you we shouldn't have done this! I told you." He wailed, arm shaking in it's suspended state, eyes wide. "Haha-ue is going to be so mad, and it's going to be all your fault! I told you we shouldn't have let him stay!"

"Shush, Shippo." He hissed, eyes darting to Inuyasha receiving none of the comfort he sought from the seemingly passive hanyou. "We just have to get him out of here so that she doesn't seem him, all will be well again like before, and then, if we do this right, Ane-ue won't kill us just yet." Reaching out for Inuyasha's hand he said. "Come on lets go back, if you were hungry you should have just said-" cutting off abruptly as the inu-hanyou pulled back. Surprised beyond all reason, he just stared dumbly at him trying to processes what went wrong and where. Obviously it was when his small hands closed around air. "Inuyasha, we have to hurry before she comes down and sees you." He didn't understand, why was the hanyou refusing to leave? Did he wish to see an angry Kagome? Souta knew first hand that one of those weren't a pretty sight to behold. He would rather face down the Over Lord any day then be on the receiving end of her wipe like temper.

"It's too late." Inuyasha stated, arms coming to rest akimbo over his chest. "Keh, cause you humans are so weak I had to save her from getting squashed by some demons earlier today." He tossed out like it was nothing, his voice a tad gruffer then usual. "Normally I'd walk the other way since she's a miko, but then you did sucker me into that stupid promise..." Let it be known, Inuyasha was never one to openly admit to wanting to help anyone. For every good deed done by his hands he's always had an excuse to down play his roll in it. It did not want to be seen at the hero type, besides, most of the time when he save a life or helped out in some way the recipient of his help always had some remark to make of how it was not appreciated. He was a hanyou, no one wanted his help. By making up reasons, playing it off, or tossing about what he got in return for such a task was always his way for protecting himself from ridicule for help.

Shippo wailed out, berating himself for not noticing earlier the scent of demon, and not cried out as he recognized her blood scent in the air. Tear flow freely down his face at the thought of the young miko leaving him like his true parents, he may have only known them for six months of his life, but demons were different then humans. They remembered those days, and because of that the kit missed his true Kitsune parents terribly.

Souta on the other hand went incredibly pale at the news.. demons_? He thought with an audible gulp, and turning fearful eyes upon the hanyou he inquired. "I didn't they... I mean how could they..." He trailed and taking a deep breath he began again. "Did they say who they worked for? Is she alright, please tell me she's alright?" The words left his mouth in such a rush that the words basically ran over each other making the sounds incompressible. At lest to the human ear._

It took him a while, but Inuyasha was able to process what was being said to him. Now while he wondered just whom Souta was worried about, he decided the easier questions would be easier to answer first, besides he wanted to start on his task that he may interrogate his brother's servants. "I haven't a clue who you think they work for, but their my brother's men. They came here by mistake, so don't worry when you see them out their on the courtyard. As for your sister..." He paused which caused their worry and fear to heighten. "She's alright I guess, just a bump on the head. I came down here actually to make her some soup but I..."

Shippo was already long gone before he could even got past the "she's alright" part, while Souta waited to hear the rest of what he had to say. The young boy hadn't the idea what he meant, they were already in the kitchen so that couldn't possibly be what the problem was.... though he did lose his memory. Could it be possible he didn't remember what a kitchen was? Deciding to go with the hunch, Souta said. "This is the kitchen," at his nod he continued, "and that over there is the stove. Just take a pot from the cupboard down there and place water for it to boil one the stove." He pause a moment to show the skin and exactly which cupboard he meant, before opening the pantry. "Any ingredients you might need will be in here or," he walked towards the refrigerator and opened it to reveal the food inside. "In here, do you need any thing else?" He questioned politely, not at all sounding the little ten year old boy that he is.

During the entire instruction Souta kept throwing glances up towards the stairway, and this action was not lost upon the hanyou. Dense, thought he may be, he was not stupid. It was as obvious as his old retainers love for blood; the kid was petrified with worry for his Ane-ue. Briefly, Inuyasha took the time to wonder where his cowardly retainer, Myouga, might be hiding in this day and age. Knowing the extent of his cowardice it was most likely the same place hew was hiding during the wars, or on the other side of the barrier. He would have to remember to ask his brother's 'assassins' for the answers, if they had it, when he spoke to them. Nodding in the direction of the stairway, he said.

"I've got things down here handled kid, go see you're Ane-ue. I know you want to." He looked hesitant a moment, before bolting up the same way Shippo went a few minutes earlier. He watched him go before turning to the task at hand.

****

-

-

Since that conversation, he found himself before a 'stove' with a pot of water in hand at a complete loss. The kid told him to boil water with the thing, but he just didn't see how the task could be proven possible with this supposedly convenient invention. Back in the Warring States Era, they did not have devices like this one. If you wanted boiled water, or cooked anything, you built a fire in a pit. At least that is if you lived in the wilderness like himself. Those who had the luxuries of huts, though mostly the rich had them, used a furnace.

Inuyasha shook his head, a lot of things, he's noticed, have changed since he was asleep. The extent of how much, he didn't know, but from what he saw around the house and his talks with the oldest runt it was a lot. Yes, from those talks, the impossible seemed to have been accomplished. Or at lest that is what the boy says. He still wasn't too sure on what an air car was, or even a TV. All he knew was that the car got you around to places, and the TV was a box with moving pictures inside. Ah, and then there was this play station both runts could shut up about. Something one would hook up to a TV and play video games on. No matter how much they explained these conveniences to him, he just couldn't understand them nor could he believe them not to be exaggerations of a child's mind. A lot of their tales did seem pretty farfetched.

After a complete examination of the instrument with his eyes and senses, which basically proved useless as there was no magic to the thing, and placed the pot of water a top. From the strange kanji written in white near some strange circler objects, found during his inspection, gave him some help in figuring out the workings of the device. According to what was written there he should turn the dials on the left to activate the stove, and the dials to the right to activate the oven. Assuming the round objects to the dials mentioned, Inuyasha turned them quickly all the way and yelping like a pup jumping back a few feet into a crouch.

The hanyou stared at the stove like he would his worst adversary just waiting for the said for to strike as the flames roared to an incredible height from the contraption; muttering curses all the way. "Damn, what the hell is that thing, a death trap?" He questioned under his breath, still eyeing the thing like he would a coiled up snake youkai ready for the strike.

Not wanting to look like an idiot to his hosts, but most importantly to the miko living there, Inuyasha cautiously stepped toward the 'stove' reaching over the turn the dial slightly. As he did, the hanyou noticed the flames lessen with each turn. Finally getting it to a height that he deemed safe, Inuyasha slide the pot over it and was pleased to see the water began to simmer. With a heaving sigh, his clawed hands brought his singed silver hair into sight and then dropped it with a shrug. With in not even a week those strands would be grown back good as new, it was one of the perks at having demon blood flow through his veins.

Remembering what Souta said about ingredients for the soup, and he found himself walking towards the pantry and peered inside. Inuyasha couldn't help the widening of his eyes, nor the watering of his mouth. Even when he lived at the castle with his brother never had he seen such food before. Not only were their more foods then he had ever seen in a peasants house, but the types of food he saw were astounding not to mention how they were kept. He remembered a while back when the oldest runt brought him back a bag of potatoes chips, as he had called them, for him to eat and when he had inquired towards the rapping of the bag the kid had informed them it was their way of keeping foods fresh. Not every thing was in that plastic stuff, some were in a type of paper and metal, and some in what smelled of plastic but was infinitely harder then the later.

Shaking himself from his amazement, but no before remembering to question the foods in this era, Inuyasha set about finding what he needed with his nose. No other demon compared to the senses of a dog demon when it came to hearing and scent, he only came second to eyesight when put up against a dragon. They were known to be able to see an aphid on a leaf from a few miles away, not to mention the "sight" which allowed them to view past, present and future occurrences.

Using his sense of smell help the hanyou to locate the spices, potatoes-not the chips-, and seasons that were needed though he couldn't seem to find the rest of the ingredients. That, of course, was before he remembered what the runt said about the white structure. Walking cautiously towards the odd looking thing, as he did not know what to expect from it, he placed his open palm upon the odd, smooth surface.

__

Strange, he mussed as he ran his hand down the length of the door, _it's cold like a winters afternoon while the rest of the room is considerably warm._ Noting the handle, Inuyasha wrapped his hand around it and yanked towards himself nearly jumping when the cold air hit his face. He just sat there staring stupidly for a moment, before be began to question just what type of magic she used to do this, but he knew before his hand even touched the object that it held no such properties. "How is this possible." He breathed.

He stood like a few seconds more before making a mental note to question the possibilities of this later, and using the same means as before in finding the rest of his ingredients.

Inuyasha now stood in front of the counter, all his ingredients lined up before him. He had decided to make one of the things, not quite really but basically the only thing a human would find edible, he knew how to make. It was a type of soup that his mother had taught him in his earlier years called, well he couldn't really remember what she called it, but it was good for replenishing ones strength and appetite. He could only hope that after this good deed of his the miko didn't throw his hanyou but off her shrine.

Deciding not to dwell on unpleasant thoughts, Inuyasha grabbed a few potatoes and began to peel them neither paying attention to the gritty feel they left under and between his claws nor where the peelings went. After the task was complete he made quick work of slicing them up into chunks before tossing 'em to the pot, but careful not to splash the water everywhere. He repeated the process with both the carrots and celery, before moving onto the meat.

He examined the produce a moment, taking the packaging as well as the meat itself. By the smell of it he would guess it to be cow, the rump of a cow but it was difficult to say because the plastic wrapping dampened the smell from his senses. With precise movements the wrapping fell to pieces around it, not one slice marred the beef or at least that is until Inuyasha flexed his claws and ran through in all different directions using demon speed to it's fullest advantage. Not even a second past before the meat collapsed into pieces on itself and if there were an audience, which there often were when he was young, he would have been smirking in arrogant triumph. Though as it were, there wasn't an audience to impress or to bring up his ego, and thus he merely collected the pieces up and tossed them within the pot like the other ingredients that needed the same treatment.

Moving over to the left a bit to grab the spices and seasonings, Inuyasha began to shake or toss them in while being wary not to place in to much. One could always add more if it is needed, but too much of something could cause the taste to be off slightly. Grabbing a large wooden spoon that hung upon the wall above the stove, Inuyasha began to stir everything together and then slightly turned up the heat being careful not to make it spout fire so high like the last time.

Eyeing the pot on the stove, and the flame beneath it, the hanyou decided that he couldn't just leave the house with it ablaze least a fire got started. He absolutely refused for anyone to be able to say that he, Inuyasha the hanyou, let a house burn to the ground with a young family within its depths. With a long suffering sigh the half-demon puckered his lips and whistled in to the air at such a high frequency that only a demon should be able to hear it, or one with demon blood running through their veins, and Sesshoumaru's two goons out side the shrine house should know what it means.

**__**

Her head ached with such vengeance that it was all she could think about for the moment. Heck, she barely even registered she had a half-demon in the house downstairs with her younger brother and adopted son somewhere on the grounds that she knew not a thing about.

Eyes squeezed shut and fists clenching into the bed sheets, Kagome counted to ten while she concentrated on ignoring the pain. If she could accomplish this then the pain would only become a dull throb in the back of her senses, a very annoying dull throb, but at the moment it seemed her training pain endurance was not paying off. Whimpering pathetically and turning her head to the side the young miko began to use her spiritual powers to lessen the pain a bit as a last resort. A priestess was not to use her powers for herself unless it were urgent, as a priestess powers were only to protect and care for her village or, in her case, the entire proven under the Over Lord as it is her duty charged at birth.

Kagome's hold on the cotton white bed sheets lessened as the pain receded into a dull throb, her breath heavy with the effort put into the action. She was still injured, tired from the fight, as well as from the ceremony she preformed earlier in the day to keep up the barrier around the province of the Devil's Rule. Now that she had at lest some senses back, Kagome sat up a bit, thought this action was done slowly and with great care, and began to ponder her next course of action.

Well one thing she knew for sure was that the hanyou would not likely be killing her anytime soon. She knew from experience. When a demon, even half, went out of their way to save a life, which was not often, then did not go out and mindlessly end that life. No, if they were to do such a thing it would be that that life had wronged their savior in some way to merit their own death. It is a demon code of such that she learned in her younger years from her cousins in the rebellion.

The rebellion was a group of humans and demons alike that wished to put an end to the province of the Over Lord, or better yet known as the Devil's Rule. She, in secret, had worked for them, being her few remaining family, and helped them before she was forced into hiding as they had helped her intern.

Kagome began to shift her position slightly so that she could slide off of the bed and spy on her little hanyou visitor, but before she could even get an inch a red ball of fur came flying towards her. The girl laughed merrily when the kitsune child clutched at her shirt saying in his young high pitched voice.

"Kagome! Your alright, I smelled your blood and I got so scared." He buried his face in between her chest to hide his tears from her, and when she realized this her laughter calmed as her arms moved to grasp him to her in a comforting hug. "I thought you were dead!" He wailed.

"I'm not dead and you can see that Shippo, no more tears alright?" She spoke not an octave above a whisper, keeping her voice low and comforting towards the kit. "I'm going to be fine, don't be sad anymore… please." Kagome pleaded before kissing his head of auburn hair.

Shippo snuggled up deeper into her chest as he let himself focus on her hand smoothing down the back of his head. This gesture always brought immeasurable comfort to him in times of sadness and fear. Just as he lifted his head to answer her, the door clicked as it was opened distracting to the two occupants to the new comer.

Souta stood their in the doorway looking everywhere but his sister, fidgeting with his hands and Kimono. He was very nervous, to say the lest, and scared. No one wanted to face an irate Kagome if they could help it. She could be down right scary at times. Gathering up all of his courage Souta managed to bring his eyes to her throat, not wanting to meet her own eyes head on. If he were to do that then the little courage to face her that he scrounged up would go sailing to the four winds.

"Uh… hey Ane-ue, you alright?" He questioned, albeit a bit hesitantly.

Kagome smile sweetly, her voice dripping of honey when she answered him. He cringed, knowing exactly what that tone meant. He was in trouble. Big time. "Fine Souta, but do you mind telling me why we've had a guest staying at the shrine for a long while now without my knowledge?"

He laughed nervously. "Well, you see, Kagome, um, Shippo and I-"

"Hey, don't bring me into this, I told you not to!" Shippo intervened in the start of his speech once his name was mentioned. He didn't want to be in trouble with his haha-ue, especially when he had done not a thing wrong. It wasn't his fault that Souta refused to listen to him.

Souta shot him a glare that cause the young kit to squeak and hid his face against Kagomes chest. "Yeah well, like I said Shippo and I were walking in the woods exploring like we do every day, but this time we came across this inu-hanyou. He's got a demon made blade and is on the run from the Over Lord, Kagome! I had to help him, I just had to." He brought his eyes, very courageously, to meet her own creamy brown ones. "He doesn't remember anything, he hit his head, Ane-ue. You said that it's our job to help people when they can't help themselves, I had to help him, he was on the run like us." He explained, his eyes pleading for her to see thing from his point of view. He had only done what he thought was write according to the things she taught him, and those he remembered from their mother.

"Your right, I did say that." Kagome sighed, all previous anger at being kept in the dark washing away. "I just wish you would have said something to me, what if he had been cereal murder, or something. I know he's not," She replied to the look her brother shot her, "but I still would have liked to have known he was there."

"I know, and I'm sorry for keeping it from you." The boy replied to her comment while staring at the ground sheepishly, arms at his side.

"That's alright Souta, just please, next time tell me when you get the urge to give refuge to a stranger." She held out her arms to him as he came nearer to the bed, and once he was situated at her side, her arm supporting his back as he lay against her did Kagome continue. Her tone quite and pained. "I just don't like being in the dark."

Souta flinched at the tone, if anything it was far worse then her honey-dripping-sweet tone. That one didn't grip and squeeze at his heart like this one did upon reaching his ears. Slipping an arm around her, Souta hugged his elder sibling close. "I promise, Ane-ue, no more secrets."

__

Thank you, Souta…

****

Inuyasha sat upon the counter near the stove thing in front of his brothers men as they took up two chairs in the center piece of the kitchen. The hanyou was quite surprised when the giant purple looking demon was able to fit within the shrine home. Originally he would not have, but it seemed the youkai was able to change shape and size, something that was a very rare ability to have. It took much training to master and just as much, if not more, strength or youkai, to use it.

Keeping his nose, as well as ears, to his quickly cooking food, Inuyasha eyed both demons before going on to speak. They had been sitting in there respective places and the hanyou stirred the soup and said nothing, as they sat and looked around waiting calmly for their younger lord to speak. When his mouth began to move, they sat up straighter to show their attention was in fact upon him.

"I need to know," he began. "I need to know what happened all those years in that war, I need to know what is going on now. The last thing I can recall is that battle and then I am suddenly a few thousand years in the future with some human that manage to get dominate control over all the lands of Japan." Taking a calming breath, and speaking with all the warmth and care of sword being drawn, he said. "I need to know what the hell is going on, and I need to know now!"

The cotton ball was the one to answer as he quickly jumped from his giant companions shoulder and onto the island within the kitchen. With something as close to a bow as he, with his stature, could get and began to speak in low respectful tones. "My lord the war seemed to have been won, you and your brother dominated the field… that is until you both mysteriously vanished from the field. It wouldn't have been that bad if the monk whom guarded the eastern lands leaders camp had not vanished as you had…" The cotton ball took in a breath and continued. "Since there was no one to lead the western or eastern lands they were easily captured and dominated by this Over Lord. Oh, then he was not called such. Then he went by no name. It wasn't until he combined the forces of the western and eastern lands with his own to decimate the remaining kingdoms, did he call himself such.

"Demons wished not to be ruled over by one without honor as him. No one with honor would watch the battle of another and wait for either side to be weakened before stepping and tearing it down. One with honor would wait for them to heal and strike when they are at their best to prove that they, the defeater, is the better. Maybe humans hold to a different belief, but that is what a demon holds to heart.

"The youkai banned together and tried to fight off the Over lord and at lest gain a portion of their lands back, but as it were they only managed to hold on to Hokkaido." As the cotton ball paused a moment once again to draw in breath before continuing, Inuyasha took the intuitive to stir his soup least it scorch and taste of burnt ashes.

"That is how things are now. The Over Lord controls everything except for our little island of Hokkaido. It was only a little over a few hundred years that this shrine was built for the soul purpose of housing the Shikon no Tama, as it is what keeps the barriers up over his province. He had these barriers made to keep the demons under control and to keep those that reside in Hokkaido out. Those that remain here, demons and half that is, are weakened by the shikon's magic and thus they are unable to revolt against him. That is all I am sure about." He finished.

Inuyasha looked to his side, staring into the pot of boiling soup in deep thought. So, he and his brother weren't the only ones who were to disappear from the battle field that day. He would have to seek out this monk as well as his brother, they were connected some how, it was a feeling that he got deep down and he learned, after years of fending for himself, that they were never wrong. The only problem would be the finding them part, the land had been growing for years and changing, and he doubted that much was the same as he remembered it. He would just have to wing it, there was no way he was asking for help. It was bad enough they though he had a memory failure.

Mechanically Inuyasha began to stir the soup, again not wanting it to scorch and burn from the bottom up. Inuyasha was sure that this Over Lord that every one was speaking about was responsible for his and his brother's disappearance, but was he wanted to know was why? Why did they need to disappear, why just them and a monk? He would figure it out, and then he would bring this lord down and kill him slowly. No one messes with him, especially not the only family he has left. The idiot signed his death warrant the moment he made his brother vanish, but he would find his brother again and then there would be hell to pay.

Finally looking back up at the cotton ball look-a-like and his silent companion, Inuyasha said. "Is there anything else, do you know of anything more about this Over Lord guy?"

"My lord, I do know of a group that seeks to destroy him. In fact whenever the barrier is at its weakest we can some times get in messengers, and that is only one to two men at a time once ever two weeks. It isn't much, but it is enough to know that they two wish to see in the destruction of the Over Lord, more so that any other, and would likely know more about the subject then I myself do." He replied in answer to the question of his young lord.

Inuyasha nodded before jumping off of the counter top. Turing towards his meal and stirring once more, he turned the dial so that the flames completely died down; the food was done. He would never get tired of this strange place, everything just so… he could think of a word to describe it, but strange would do. "I want you to send word to this group that I am coming and wish to speak with them, I should be there in a couple of days."

The cotton ball gave a semblance of a nod, before inquiring. "My lord do you wish for one of us to stay incase you need directions to the establishment?"

Inuyasha shook his head, his hair and ears swaying slightly with the movement. "No." He answered. "I should be able to smell you out, if not I could always call for you like a did before." Moving down to the left a bit, Inuyasha opened the cupboards that Souta pointed out earlier and grabbed a few bowls to place the soup in.

"By your leave, my lord, and we shall deliver your message."

Startled, but not showing it, as he had thought them to be gone already, said. "Huh, oh, yeah sure go." Turning back to the task at hand, Inuyasha began to pour in the soup.

**__**

Three startled faces whipped towards the door as opened, as everyone had forgotten about the hanyou down stairs. Especially Kagome, whom had yet to get use to the idea of another demon being in the house. Besides she had been a bit busy with trying to comfort the kit and her brother, assuring them that she was indeed fine, to be paying attention to other auras in her house.

"Oi runts, down stairs now." He ordered them. "There's some soup down there if you want it." Immediately they jump from the respective positions and raced each other down the stairs. Inuyasha's ears moved about flickering in the direction of the sound. Once he was sure they were well enough away, he moved to the side of the bed and set her soup down. He was nervous.

Never before had he spent so much time with a woman before, in all of his years demon women have always thought him to weak for his human blood and human women thought him a monster for his demon blood. Now mikos, at first sight of him they usually moved in for the kill. He was half-breed, no way could he not be hostile, no way could he just want to help. He was a monster that needed extermination.

Inuyasha clenched his fists at the thought, but slowly forced himself to relax at Kagome's curiously looks as she slowly brought the chops sticks to her mouth. It wasn't like he had to converse with her, he just needed to make sure that she ate and then change her bandages. After that… after that he only had to worry about being kicked out of the shrine. Not that it mattered anyways as he would be leaving soon either way. It would just be a little sooner then he had thought to leave. Inuyasha plopped himself down at the edge of the bed to watch her eat, his sitting position looking at of a squatting dog.

Since the hanyou had walked she had been curious. So far he had only said a few words, and those were only to her young brother and son. He only handed her a bowl of soup with some chops sticks, and then proceeded to watch her eat. It was a little unnerving, yes, for him to be watching her like this but her thought were more centered around why on earth he would help. Most demons would not help a priestess, especially when they openly admit to hating them as he had done.

The silence was beginning to get to her and she hated it. It wasn't because it was quite, or that it was awkward, well not really, but more because he had not taken his golden orbs from her sense he had handed over the bowl of soup. She decided that if he would not breath, she would.

"My brother says that you have lost your memory?"

Inuyasha looked at her confusedly, before realization dawned on him. That was his excuse for being to ignorant to things around this time. "Yes." He answered shortly, not at all sure why she had decided to strike up a conversation with him. He had never spoken with a miko before, unless of course it was yelling he did nothing wrong, and then the said priestess calling him a dirty half-breed and such.

She was quite for a while, not at all sure on what to say next. She had thought that maybe all he needed was a conversation breaker, obviously its not that at all. It was quite obvious that the hanyou wasn't much of a conversationalist. After another couple seconds of silence, Kagome decided to try again. "My brother also says that your on the run from the Over Lord." She glanced at him suspiciously, as she just realized something. "But how could you know that, if you remember nothing." He wasn't lying to them, was he? Saving her wasn't a ploy created by 'him, was it? No, she did not want to believe that. Her brother is an excellent judge in character, and she would not believe him to work for the Over Lord until she found proof of otherwise.

Inuyasha smirked inwardly, this one was a little too smart. Most would have over looked that. "I remember something's," he said, not entirely sure at to why he was answering her in the way he was. "I do not know if it is him exactly, but I do believe that he has taken something important from me. I won't rest until he is dead for it." Was all he said before falling silent again, but he very much wished to speak again. He wanted to ask her if she knew anything about him, the Over Lord, he wanted to hear her voice again… no he didn't. He would just wait for her to speak again.

__

The shrine grounds were quite and Kagome busied herself with some of her choirs and then later perhaps some more training with the bow. She was becoming quite the master archer. Taking the broom in hand she began to sweep in quick strokes, humming her mother's luliby with none of the words spilling from her lips. She felt at peace, calm as the birds cherped and flew from tree to tree.

Her peace however, was shatter as shout rang throughout the air.

"Jonathan, what are you doing!" Her mother's voice screeched out fearfully. "Please, Jonathan, do not do this!" As though shouts met her ears breaking her peace, her silence, Kagome dropped the broom and hurried toward the location of the noise.

Kagome turned from him, her eyes staring into the depths of her soup bowl that was now only halfway full, as her mind replayed flashes of that fateful day. "I know what you mean." She whispered softly, hoping that he would not catch it and they could remain in silence.

They hanyou studied the young miko in curiosity for a moment. He remembered the runts saying that they were on the run, hiding from this Over Lord. Just what had this conqueror of lands done to her that she must hide, how is it that they are alike. When she did not speak again, when her eyes remained glued to her soup bowl, and his curious side starving to be satisfied did Inuyasha do something so unlike him. His clawed hand reached out grasping her chin and forcing her to look at him. "What do you mean we're alike?"

__

The scene that she happened upon froze her blood like nothing else. Her legs locked up, numbing so that she could no longer feel them. Her heart beating within her chest so painfully hard that she feared it would rip its way from its confines and beat itself into oblivion. All she could do was force herself to breath, and watch things play with eyes wide and confused and muddled mind.

"Suki, I demand you give it to me now!" He father boomed as he stalked her. For every step forward he took was another step her mother moved backwards, her hands shaking on the bow and arrow she held at the ready pointed directly toward her father's heart. "Suki, put that away and give it over." He coxed. "Let me take it off your hands Suki."

Her mother had tears running down her cheeks, her hair was a mess with bruise on her right cheek and blood trickling down the corner of her lips. "Jonathan, I don't know what's wrong with you, but I do know that you don't want to do this" She pleaded with him, trying to talk sense with him. "You know I can't give this to you, you know what will happen. Why are you doing this?"

"I know perfectly well what I am doing, Suki, now that we have that established, give it to me!"

Kagome watched as her mother's eyes widened, and then squeezed shut. "I'm sorry Jonathan." She whispered as she released the bow string.

The arrow sailed through the air and struck her father at his left side, he screamed out and pain and grabbed at it as if it would help ease the pain he felt. Finally finding her voice, Kagome called out. "Father!" Her hand reached out toward him, her legs still unresponsive to her brains command.

"Kagome!" Her mother held frantically, bow pointed downward. "What are you doing here, go back inside! Now!"

Inuyasha awaited patiently for her answer, but when none seemed fourth coming he released her chin and asked again. "Tell me what you meant." He prodded gently. He wanted to know, she worked up his curiosity with her secrecy, but deep down it was more then that. He wanted another reason to kill this Over Lord, no, he wanted to know what the pound scum did to her that caused the light in her eyes to dull and the smile on her face to vanish so completely. He wanted to kill him for it as well, not that he would ever admit that aloud.

She did not want to remember, she did not want to speak of it to him. What right did he have to know of her past when she knew nothing of his? Kagome began to fiddle with her bed sheets, having set her soup bowl aside sometime ago during the silence the stretched between them from when he first asked the question. Now clenching her fists within the bed sheets, hidden under the blanket, she looked him square in the eyes stating firmly. "I don't want to talk about it." He had yet to notice the tears building up in her eyes, normally he would have smelled them long before, but he was concentrating to hard on getting the answer.

"Please, tell me what he did to you?"

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Kagome's eyes widened as she watched her father lung towards her mother, she tried to cry out in warning but it was of no use as her throat seemed to close up allowing no sound to escape her. She watched, unable to move, as her father took a dagger from his side and dug it deep with in the depths of her mother heart pulling it free only to do so again. Kagome fell to her knees tears falling freely, as her mother's cries of anguish echoed throughout the shrine to be heard by none but herself, her father, and her own mother as she took in her last breath.

He dropped the knife eyes wide clearly showing his horror and pain. "Suki.... wha..." His eyes took in all the blood that soaked her white kimono to the blood that covered his hands; her blood. "No." He whispered hoarsely, shaking his head frantically. "No!" He cried out stronger this time. "What happened? What have I... did I...? No..." He leaned over her, head above her heart and when he heard nothing, felt nothing he cried out his pain, and it sounded as if he had been run through. "Suki, please come back to me!" He cried, taking her body in his arms rocking back and fourth.

He was so involved with her, with his pain, that he did not notice the shadow creature that snuck upon him. Kagome did, however, and could not form the word to call out warning to him as the figure lifted his blade and ran it through his stomach. Kagome's face paled at the blood pouring from her fathers wounds, at the blood that fell from his mouth as he took his last breaths and fell upon his mother with his last dying words. "I'm sorry, Suki."

It was like time was frozen as she stood stock still watching them, before the spell that kept her in place seemed to break and allow her movement. Kagome crawled toward them on all fours, tears still coursing down her cheeks, but she stopped a few feet from the hooded figure as she could now see.

"Your father was a very bad man you know." The man taunted, it was definitely a mans voice as it was way too deep to be anything else. "He betrayed your family to the Devil's Rule, and all for the promise of power, the type of power that the pink jewel would bring." The man snorted as his hooded head turned it's sightless gaze unto the dead couple. "He had to die though, my master would see no less, as your father failed his mission. He killed the priestess, his wife, before he could retrieve it from her." The man laughed evilly before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Kagome stumbled the rest of the way to her parents dead and now cold bodies, and cried until she could cry no more.

Flashes of that night flashed through her mind, her father stabbing her mother, the hooded figure, and how the night ended with her burning their bodies and storing them within the mini shrines. A sob broke trough her throat and then another, and another. She could feel the tears as they make tracks down her face to land upon her chest.

Inuyasha began to panic. She was crying, he hated it when women cried. Not that he has ever seen one cry before besides his mother, but that is why he detested it so. He always made his mother cry when he was younger. He didn't mean to, he just wanted to know what a hanyou was, what half of the things he was called as a child meant. Every time she cried when he asked what a word meant, he would never ask again. That is how this hatred for tears was born. He made her cry, his chest clenched painfully.

He moved nearer to her, and then sat up higher so that he was now hovering her his hands above, but not touching, her shoulders unsure of what to do exactly. "Don't cry!" He whispered frantically, as if speaking any louder would send her into deeper hysterics. "Please!" Any one whom knew the hanyou would have been shocked out of there minds at that word, but he didn't care he just wanted her to stop. The deep heaving breaths and chocked cries were assaulting his ears and smell of saltwater his nose, which all and all was causing his chest to painfully constrict. "Damnit, stop crying!" He yelled. "No, no, no please stop!"

She looked up at him. "You want I should laugh instead."

"No! Just," his hands rest upon her shoulders before going back to barely touching. "I just don't like to see you cry."

Kagome couldn't help the warm smile that lit up her face, one that caused the hanyou's heart to lighten a bit, as his face looked like that of a kicked puppy. Whipping her tears away, and sniffing a bit, the young miko decided to change the subject. "You can stay here," she offered, "for as long as you wish."

It took Inuyasha a moment to grasp what she had said, as his head was still spinning from her miraculous mood change and when he had it took everything in him to stop himself from gaping. She wasn't going to kick him out! She was going to let him stay! "Why?"

She yawned settling back into her bed. "Because, you save my life and its the lest I could do." She yawned again, and her eyes started to shut. "Besides, you make really good soup and you have a nice soul." She mumbled the last part out as she fell into fitful sleep.

Inuyasha watched her in amazement. She actually fell asleep with him in the room, she did not fear that he would kill her in her sleep. She trusted him. Inuyasha felt a strange feeling growing in the pit of his stomach before it moved and spread throughout his entire body. He did not know what this feeling was, but Inuyasha did know one thing... he didn't want it to leave him; ever.

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A/N:

I am So----- Sorry that I haven't updated this story in like forever, it's just that I've been lazy and too darn tired after I finish up all my work to type… But **I won't do it again! **I swear to you all! Now that I've updated once again, I'm going to try and continue to do so at lest once or twice a week -K-

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This wonderful Chapter goes out to all my wonderful reviewers! I don't know what I'd do with you!

I'd probably still be on chapter one !!


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